If you think pests have been out of control and can't seem to get away from them, you aren't alone.

The wet spring has led to an increase in midges, a pest in the mosquito family.

Exterminators are out in full force this time of year, getting rid of pests, like midges, which seem to be all over the place.
Jim Reese, the President of General Exterminating explained, "It has a lot to do with all the extra rain we have had, the cool temperatures, midges lay their eggs in standing water. "


The wet, spring led to an increase in midges popping up in backyards, warm spots, and water. Tyler Brooks, an Entomologist at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center explained, "Just due to the weather, the springtime, the winter being over and the rain, it's just perfect conditions for them to pop up and infesting everywhere."


While there's nothing people can do to prevent rainfall or mother nature, there's a few things people can do to prevent the midges from getting in or around their homes. Experts said keeping areas clean and basins of water fresh can cut down on midges popping up. According to Reese, "You want to watch standing water, you want to watch, if you have bird feeders, keep the water fresh, if you have fountains, keep the water fresh, nighttime keep the lights off."


But there are some benefits to the insects that come out this time of year. "There's not much we can do because of where they come from, their life span is so short. They are actually beneficial, fish feed on them, birds feed on them, they are more of a nuisance than anything else", said Reese.


According to experts, they will be leaving as fast as they arrived. "A couple more weeks, by the end of spring they will be gone, some will persist through the summer but not at the current level they are on right now", said Brooks. 

 


Other pests that have been keeping exterminators busy are spiders, carpenter ants, wasps, Stone and May flies.