Mosquitoes in February. In Utah. It happens

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah’s early spring weather is prompting mosquitoes to come out of hiding.  

Mosquitoes typically appear in Utah in mid to late May, according to Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement Specialist Michele Rehbein.

But warm February weather has some of them buzzing around early.

Mosquitoes can carry West Nile virus, and in the summertime, when their numbers have increased, there can be a health concern if you are bitten and then start having symptoms.

However, since it’s only February, officials don’t think these mosquitoes are a worry.

“They’re here for just a little bit,” Rehbein said. “They’ll die off when it gets cold again, or, when they can’t find food.”

Are those actually mosquitoes?

And a lot of the bugs flying around right now aren’t mosquitoes. In some cases, Rehbein said people are actually seeing non-biting midges that look similar to mosquitoes.

Still, Rehbein said that these early sightings of mosquitoes in Utah may mean that her team and others may start trapping mosquitoes earlier than usual.

The pests are targeted by mosquito abatement teams across Utah throughout the summer. These teams set up traps and monitor the bugs for contagious diseases, and they get rid of the places where mosquitoes lay eggs.

But you can help right now, too. The Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement District said you’ll see fewer mosquitoes if you remove standing water from around your home.

Wearing bug spray is also effective.

According to the CDC, the most effective mosquito repellents contain:

• DEET,
• picaridin,
• IR3535,
• Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE),
• para-menthane-diol (PMD), or
• 2-undecanone.