Mosquito numbers have seen a big jump this year because of Saskatchewan’s increased rainfall.

The 10-year average for mosquitoes in Saskatoon has been between 12 and 14 per week. Last week’s average blew that number out of the water, being about 157 mosquitoes.

Georgiana Antochi-Crihan, entomologist for the city of Saskatoon, explained one method homeowners can use to reduce the number of mosquito’s is by cutting the grass.

“Making sure you don’t have any of that stagnant water, that could be a potential source of mosquitoes. So that’s checking your drip trays under your plants, your pet bowls, your bird baths and if you do end up finding any water in there dumping it on a hard surface like a driveway or a roadway.”

Antochi-Crihan added that the city has been constantly sending crews out to treat standing water in public spaces to keep mosquito numbers down. She said crews tend to regroup after rainfalls and treat standing water starting in the centre of the city and working their way out.