To reduce the risk of a bug home invasion, homeowners should clear away mulch, which provides a perfect bug breeding ground. Food should be kept in sealed containers and bathrooms and kitchens should be kept dry and clean. It's like having an I-95 for bugs running right into your house. As if the indoor assault wasn't enough, mosquitoes start buzzing outside when the rainy season starts in May and June. Indian River and St. Lucie counties already have seen the year's first crop of mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes can carry a deadly strain of encephalitis.
Local mosquito control officials monitor the situation year-round. Spray trucks are used to fight the insects. But John Beidler, Indian River County's Mosquito Control District director, there is only so much that can be done. But 30 percent of a billion mosquitoes is still a lot. Staff Writer James Kirley contributed to this report.