Every summer, Iowan's relive the same horror story. You're outside, minding your own business, when suddenly out of nowhere you're attacked! It feels like a giant needle is being rammed into your skin. And sure enough, it's Iowa's most hated pest ferociously sucking blood out your forearm like a fat kid sucking down a milkshake through a straw.

Recently, Pest Strategies conducted a survey of the "Most Hated Bugs By State". Not surprisingly, Iowan's hate mosquitoes the most out of any pest. If you grew up in Iowa, or have spent any amount of time here, you know now's the time to enjoy being outside and not getting attacked by bugs.

Make no mistake these blood-sucking monsters are lurking in the shadows, after hibernating during the winter waiting to re-emerge when the weather begins to get warmer, or hatching from previously laid eggs in the spring. Generally, mosquito season arrives in Iowa in late April, as soon as temps rise above 50 degrees at night for a stretch of about a week, watch out!

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After "Mother Nature" teased us with some temps in the 60's and 70's, maybe it's a good thing that they're predicting cooler temperatures through the rest of April. Maybe that will slow down the beginning of mosquito season at least.

Mosquito
Photo by: manode
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The 2021 Mosquito forecast for the Midwest from Pests.org says that "there’s about a 50 percent chance of having a hotter, wetter summer in the Midwest, according to the National Weather Service. As a result, you can expect the mosquito populations to follow suit." We all know mosquitoes thrive in the heat and when there's a lot standing water. Despite that, Pests.org only predicts "a slightly above average mosquito population". We'll take that.

Canva
Canva
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So what are the "Most Hated Bugs" across the 50 states? The survey determined that Americans in 29 states are freaked out by cockroaches more than any other insect. Bed Bugs are hated by 9 states, spiders are the most hated in 6 states, and mosquitos were the most despised in 4 states, including Kansas, Montana, Pennsylvania and Iowa.

Courtesy - peststrategies.com
Courtesy - peststrategies.com
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People from Minnesota like to joke about mosquitoes being their "state bird". Well, Minnesotan's like to think they're better than us, but we've got them beat. One time last summer, I saw a mosquito so big here in Iowa, (how big was it?) - it landed and picked up a small child like an eagle swooping down in the water and carrying off a fish.

So take steps now to mosquito proof your property like removing any objects that collect water, clean clogged gutters, buy citronella candles, etc...and make sure to stock up on the bug spray (with Deet of course). Then get ready to enjoy a mosquito free summer, or not. Just be happy that cockroaches can't fly, oh wait, they can? Forget it, I'm staying inside.

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