VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Volusia County Mosquito Control is now spraying non-stop to keep away very aggressive mosquitoes called salt marsh mosquitoes.

  • County mosquito control trying to keep salt marsh mosquitoes away
  • Residents claim these mosquitoes are biting non-stop
  • They're moving into neighborhoods because of winds, says an official

The agency's director said as the mosquitoes are making their way into neighborhoods they've gotten several calls about them, with residents saying they're feeling the bite more than usual.

Megan Mennonna said she can't walk her dog without getting bitten by mosquitoes.

"I think they're pretty bad this year. I have a lot of bites on my legs and my arms," said Megan Mennonna, an Edgewater resident.

But Volusia County Mosquito Control said from Edgewater to Oak Hill, salt marsh mosquitoes are a big problem, and the wind is creating it.

"Not only have we had the rains that have been coming for weeks every day, (but) we've been treating the areas here in Volusia County and knocking those populations down. Now the wind is blowing right out of south, right into our populated areas," said Sue Bartlett, Director of Volusia County Mosquito Control.

Bartlett showed the lab where they're storing some of the mosquitoes they've captured.

"They're very, very pesky and annoying, and they will bite all day long, all night long," said Bartlett.

She said the aggressive mosquitoes are blowing from the Cape Canaveral area from the refuges and natural preserves where they aren't treated.

Bartlett's team has their work cut out for them as they handle the prolific salt marsh mosquito population.

"They lay billions of eggs in the water, where you see the larvae. They actually have big salt marsh balls. They're just balls of mosquitoes. Just like fish, they gather all together. There's just millions of them in one spot," said Bartlett.

Bartlett said they're targeting them by spraying daily from the ground and sometimes by air.

"I heard them flying over a couple nights ago. They're low-flying planes. I heard them, so I'm glad they're doing it," said Mennonna.

The good news -- Bartlett said luckily these mosquitoes don't carry any human viruses or diseases, but pets can still be impacted.

Still, Mennonna can't wait to see them disappear.

"They're just a lot of them," said Mennonna.

The last aerial spraying was done Tuesday.

If you want to know if they'll be spraying in your neighborhood, the county has a map on their website of where they have sprayed and where they plan to spray next.

Mosquito Control said they're starting to get calls from those thanking them for spraying.