(Radio Iowa) - Iowa is seeing a bumper crop of bugs this summer, with flying and biting pests aplenty that are making the great outdoors much less great for humans.
The state's had a lot of rain in recent weeks and standing water can quickly become a breeding ground for many thousands of mosquitoes. Zach Schumm, an insect specialist at Iowa State University, says at least 57 different species of mosquitoes live in Iowa.
Schumm says to use an insect repellent, wear long sleeves and long pants when outside, and avoid being outdoors at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes tend to feed. He also suggests you patrol your yard and make sure there's no standing water in flower pots, buckets, tires, gutters or elsewhere.