BINGHAMTON (AP) -- Above-average rainfall is making for ideal breeding conditions for the pesky mosquito.
Binghamton University entomologist Julian Shepherd tells the Binghamton Press that mosquitoes need mild temperatures and standing water for reproduction. The weather in upstate New York has provided both.
The National Weather Service at Greater Binghamton Airport recorded 19.93 inches of rain from March 1 through May 30, more than 10 inches above normal. It was also slightly warmer than average. When it's hot and moist, larvae hatch faster, increasing the hordes of insects seeking blood and returning to the breeding pools to make more moquitoes.
On the bright side, the number of black flies, another despised biting pest, is down. Shepherd speculates the heavy rains washed away many of the black fly larvae, which hatch in running streams.
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