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Near-Record Mosquito Season

Local Officials Are Trying To Combat Pesky Mosquito Problem

POSTED: Wednesday, July 15, 2009
UPDATED: 8:56 am EDT July 15, 2009

It's one of the worst seasons for mosquitoes on record.

Try being a waitress in the heat and humidity that seems to help them breed.

"We get bit everywhere, it's terrible," said Daniella Obraztsova, a waitress at Balans in Mary Brickell Village. "It's really hard to serve outside with the mosquitoes," she said, rubbing her neck where she had been bitten.

Or, ask the valets in Brickell what it's like. It doesn't help that the influx of blood-suckers are drawn to sweat.

"It's horrible. We're getting eaten up," Oliver Reyes, a valet, told Local 10's Janine Stanwood. "It's humid, these guys just come out and start eating us alive," he said.

It's one of the most active times for 'skeeters in 10 years, according to mosquito control experts. Anyone who works outside would agree.

"My legs, full of mosquito bites all over the place. I have some here, I don't know, I start scratching them all night as well, we're always running, you know. So it doesn't matter that much, said Reyes, pointing to his bites.

Reyes doesn't keep a stash of bug spray at his valet stand. But Michael's Genuine in the Design District does. They dole out shots of Off to their patrons. Kristi Zeitouni, the manager there, said, "We do occasionally have guests that complain so we'll offer them bug spray. We do always have citronella candles burning."

With all the rain, and standing water where mosquitoes can breed, both Miami-Dade and Broward Counties have collectively sprayed more than 250,000 acres.

But if you eat outside or if you work outside, you wouldn't know it. Reyes said, "At night when we get home - when I get home - full of mosquito bites. You gotta put alcohol. It's horrible, I don't know what's going on."

Officials in both counties said more spraying could continue if the mosquitoes keep breeding.

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