An unusually warm winter could mean more mosquitoes this summer.
Mosquito spraying technicians started spraying some yards around Middle Tennessee in March – some two to three weeks earlier than usual.
However, there are some steps you can take to help reduce the number of mosquitoes.
First, get rid of standing water where mosquitoes lay their eggs – especially after periods of rain. Mosquitoes also tend to dwell in shaded areas as opposed to direct sunlight.
"Any area that you have in your backyard that's really shady, just like we like that area, mosquitoes like it," Eddie Corbin, a technician with Mosquito Joe, said. "They like to get out of the sun just like we do."
Mosquito Joe is one of several companies in Middle Tennessee that help deter mosquitoes from yards.
"There's customers that can go a whole summer without having a bite," Corbin explained. "You can actually sit outside, eat outside, play outside, it makes a big difference."
Mosquito Authority is another company that travels throughout Middle Tennessee battling the bugs.
"We make lives better," David Clifford of Mosquito Authority said. "We come out every 21 days and keep you mosquito free."
Officials with the Tennessee Department of Health said it's never too early to combat mosquitoes in your neighborhood, especially due to the fact that the Zika Virus and West Nile Virus have remained a threat in Tennessee.
They suggested that one of the best things you can do to protect your home and yard is to keep water sources under control.
"After rain, go out and make sure you don't have any containers that are holding water," Dr. Abelardo Moncayo, director of the Vector Born Disease Program, said. "Things that people may not think about are their gutters."
Mosquito season lasts throughout the warm summer months, but officials said the more you can do to prevent mosquito growth on the front end, the more it can help down the stretch.
