Why mosquito bites may have been more painful in the Maritimes this year

Find yourself swatting a bit more this summer to get rid of thosepeskymosquitoes?

Well,anentomologist fromUniversityofMonctonsays that's probably because there's adifferent mosquito species buzzing about in the Maritimes.

GatanMoreausays one of these different species bites during the day, unlike other species ofmosquitoes that only bite at night or in the early morning.

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"They're really painful," Moreau said of the bite the Aedes mosquito can give a person.

"That gives them the chance to fly during the dayand find hosts. In fact, they're looking for mammals and their blood."

Moreausaid this type ofmosquito is adapted to the hot temperature and is named for being so annoying.

'This year it's pretty bad'

"Every August we have this kind of bloom of mosquito but this year it's pretty bad," he said. "We got used to having nomosquitoes for most of the summer and suddenly these guys are coming out."

While every year is different,Moreausaid he has to acknowledge that the bites thesemosquitoes are giving are quite painful compared to other species of mosquitoes.

"With somemosquitoes you feel barely anything, but with this guy, that's not the case," he said.

"They are really annoying mosquitoes."

Moreausaid there is no need to worry that this species is carrying any diseases because it can only bite once.

To avoid their bite, Moreau suggests changing the colour of the clothing you wear and what food you're eating.

"Bananas for example will tend to attract more mosquitoes and anything with vitamin B1 is having the reverse effect," he said.

And if you're a jogger, you may be out of luck.Moreau said when you jog and move the mosquitoes are aiming directly at you and that"any activity that makes you sweat is going to attract mosquitoes."

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