Illinois' summer has been, for the most part, too moist and cool for the sort of mosquitoes that carry the West Nile virus.
U of I Farm Extension entomologist Phil Nixon says the mosquitoes most likely to carry disease prefer putrid water to fresh rainwater and thus have not been around much this summer. Nixon says once the state experiences several hot and dry days there will likely be an increase in the population of mosquitoes that are carriers of the West Nile virus.
Nixon says while body chemistry dictates how susceptible you are to bites and their effects, the best thing you can do is use a repellent containing DEET.
