Other mosquito species also are laying eggs in rainwater, flooded ditches, clogged gutters and other spots where water collects. The bug prognosis for the rest of the summer depends on rainfall, temperatures and wind speed, Pellitteri said. Ideal conditions for mosquitoes would be a 2-inch rainfall once a week, temperatures in the 80s and little wind, since they find it tough to fly when winds get up to 10 mph or more. Cool weather forecast for much of the state over the Memorial Day weekend will give many a reprieve, since mosquitoes tend to lie low when temperatures dip into the 50s. Female mosquitoes lay 30 to 250 eggs several times in their life cycle, depending on how much blood they suck.
Mosquitoes can transmit diseases such as encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain.
Wisconsin public health officials are concerned about the disease but no more than usual, said Tom Haupt, communicable diseases epidemiologist for the state Division of Public Health. Last year in Wisconsin, there were six cases of mosquito-borne encephalitis, none of which was fatal. Journal Sentinel Inc. All rights reserved.