Greensboro, NC -- After a mild winter and spring rain, you can expect to see a lot more mosquitos this summer.
News 2 spoke with Sandy Ellington of the Guilford County Health Department to find out what these pests can do to your body, and how you get can get rid of them.
Ellington says mosquitos do more than leave you itching all summer.
They can carry diseases, like the West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis, a disease that infects your brain and spinal cord.
The best way to keep them away is to get rid of standing water and debris around your home.
"Mosquitoes can breed in less than 2 tablespoons of water," said Ellington.
That means you have to keep your yard clean and make sure that, if you have a small pond or water source in your backyard, the water is constantly moving.
Still, the best way to keep the bugs off, is to use repellant, but Ellington says to use it carefully.
"Some people are actually allergic to the repellant and that's worse than getting mosquito bitten," she said. "Follow the manufacturers instructions and be careful if you're applying a repllant to a child that's under the age of six months."
WFMY News 2