No, that will come in the later waves of mosquitoes, which hatch toward the end of July. For now, you can revel in the knowledge that while the dozen bites up and down your legs are making you want to crawl out of your skin, you won't be getting sick.
“Historically, the mosquitoes that transmit West Nile are more likely to arrive at the end of the month and stay on into August and September,” said Shelly Meyer, infectious disease specialist at the Missoula City-County Health Department.
“All I can say is that my friends told me I didn't really have to worry too much about bugs in Montana,” Fulger said Friday while walking along the Clark Fork River in downtown Missoula. “I've been eaten alive. But I'll try to feel better about clawing my skin off, now that I know I won't be getting West Nile.”
Missoula's cool, wet spring presented perfect breeding conditions for mosquitoes. Plenty of standing water followed by nice warm weather is mosquito nirvana.
And that spells mosquito disaster for those of us who are little more than tasty treats for the relentless little pests.
“We have a lot of mosquitoes because of the late spring and the continued high water,” Meyer said.
The same scenario played out in the Flathead, where mosquito control officers are battling a banner year.
“It's been a heck of a year, said Allison Bishop, public health nurse for Flathead County. “From a control perspective, we're sort of overrun.”
That infestation has lit up phone lines in the county, with nearly 200 people calling to gripe about the aerial vampire.
It's the female mosquito that sucks our blood, so wouldn't you figure that the women of the species generally live six weeks and can live as long as five months. The mosquito menfolk live about a week - they hatch, they mate, they eat mostly plant nectar, and die.
Female mosquitoes, however, need blood to nourish and develop their eggs. And they'll fly anywhere from a mile to 10 miles to get it.
That's a depressing thought when you start thinking about mosquito-proofing your home. Still, experts say it's a good idea to make sure you don't have standing water around the house and yard, as that makes a perfect environment for mosquito eggs. Think about it this way: Maybe the next time you're a mile to 10 miles away from home, the mosquitoes that bite you won't be the ones that hatched in your yard.
Obviously, there are some steps you can take to cut down on your chances of attracting the pesky buggers.
Health departments around Montana suggest staying indoors around dusk and dawn, as that's prime hunting time for skeeters.
Also, wear long pants and shirts - how un-fun is that in summer! - to limit their access. Mosquito repellents work to varying degrees, and we'll leave it to you to decide what formulas your skin can abide.
Meyer said the some of the formulas that mix sunscreen and bug repellent haven't been fully evaluated, so she suggests products without sunscreen.
“The important thing is to read the instructions and use the product appropriately, especially with children,” Meyer said.
Reporter Michael Moore can be reached at 523-5252 or at mmoore@missoulian.com
All the buzz
For more information about mosquitoes, repellents and abatement, go to www.flatheadhealth.org/mosquitocontrol.htm. Also, check out the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention site about mosquito-borne illnesses at www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/list_mosquitoborne.htm
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