With All Of The Rain Amarillo Is Getting, The Mosquitoes Are Swarming

The worst part of the summer months in Texas is the mosquitoes. Recently, in Amarillo, I was standing outside playing a nice game of fetch with my dog, when I felt the familiar bite of a mosquito on my leg. Then it happened again, and again. We cut fetch short and went inside. Mosquito season is here, and with all of the rain we're getting you need to do everything you can to keep them out of your yard.

Rain In Amarillo, Texas Means Mosquitos In Your Yard

We've been fortunate in Amarillo recently. We've had a couple of really nice rain showers, and as I'm writing this the rain is falling hard outside. We need the moisture, and could always use more. However, after the rain comes the mosquitos.

According to most reports, Texas has 88 types of mosquitoes that call the Lone Star State home. That's an insane number of annoying blood-sucking pests. Moisture tends to bring them out. Some lay their eggs in standing water while others actually lay their eggs in other places just so they can hatch when they area floods. No matter how you slice it, water is a big ingredient in the recipe to make a mosquito.

How To Help Prevent Mosquitos From Getting In Your Yard

One of the biggest steps you can take is not letting standing water collect. I have a trash can in my backyard that I will empty and then flip over if I know it's going to rain. If it rains before I can get to it, I'll empty it immediately. I hate mosquitos and this is a pretty simple step to take to help keep them away.

You can also use repellents. There is a huge variety, and at my house, we usually use the outdoor candles that you burn to keep them away. When you go outside, spray some repellent on yourself to keep them off of you and prevent bites. Also, wear loose-fitting long sleeves and pants. It helps.