Is it just me or are the mosquitoes extra bad this year? I have a feeling that people would care even more about climate change if, instead of talking about rising sea levels, environmentalists started talking about swarms of mosquitoes. A warmer earth will be an itchier place.
On a related note, a small experimental study conducted last night on a patio table confirmed my hypothesis: citronella candles actually attract the insects. The allure of the flickering light seems to far outweigh the benefits of the chemical repellent.
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Where do you live?
In the east coast, we've had an increase of mosquitos because of the very rainy spring/summer we've had, far more rain than the last 3 or 4 years. As such, a lot of land cleared for construction (but where, thanks to the housing crunch, said construction is on hold), has created lots of pools of water that the little buggers love to breed in.
As a graduate research assistant, I did monthly 24-hour gillnet sets in the West Pearl River swamps in coastal Louisiana. As a result, I don't notice mosquitos, and they do not seem to care for me very much.
It may well be the case up here.
http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/2008/07/13/6146776.html
It may also be partly due to declining bat populations. White nose disease is devastating in the northeast.