First blood: Winnipeg mosquito season on its way

As if Winnipeg merely skipped spring in 2014, at long last it feels as balmy as it should.

But with the humidity and warmth comes an ominous and familiar swarm of blood-sucking buzzkills.

Mosquito season will soon be upon us or is already here, depending on who you ask.

"Oh, it's arrived, it's time, it's that season already," said Winnipegger Kasia Dyszy.

Traps are showing low-to-no mosquitoes, but recent rain and warmth is creating the perfect conditions for mosquito breeding.

Bug spray isn't an option for the Dyszys six-week-old.

"He's new so we're trying to figure out how best to protect him right now."

Parents like Jimi Scharbonneau are grappling with the same problem.

"You don't want the little one to get bit and you don't want to get any mosquito-borne diseases."

City helicopters are on the usual campaign, eliminating the mosquitoes where they lay in standing water with larvicide.

• Mosquito battle begins in Winnipeg

But people atAssiniboine Park Wednesday have already seenafirst wave of the mini-winged beast in the park.

Kelly Gregorash said after months being cooped up indoors, the outdoors is already spoiled by the presence of mosquitoes.

"I've been bitten a few times, she said. A nice, big bloody mosquito.

Gregorashsaid she is watching the bugs around her young daughter very carefully, andquestionedwhether the citys larviciding is adequate.

Taz Stewart on backyard bloodsuckers

No one at the city was available for an interview today, but Winnipegs former head entomologist Taz Stuart was keen to talk bugs.

"What we're seeing right now is those really large spring species adults," Stuart said.

Stuart said in the next seven-to-ten days we will see summer mosquitopopulations appearing.

"What's key is homeowners need to be looking in their back yards, looking for that saucer or cup, that low depression that has water holding, because those mosquitoes that develop in there are the ones that are going to be biting you"

Typically the Culex tarsailas mosquoito species that can carry West Nile aren't a real a threat until August.

Stuart said it's hard to predict how bad it will be, but at the Assiniboine Park there is some optimism.

Because it's been such a late start to summer, maybe it won't be as bad as we think, said Scharbonneau.