Vermonters may want to carry an extra bottle of bug repellent when outdoors.

The state is reportedly seeing twice as many mosquitos this summer than the last thirteen summers on average. An expert from the Vermont Agency of Agriculture says the causes can be traced back to the recent flood.

They point out that mosquitos need water and are aquatic until they reach adulthood.

Officials from the Vermont Agency of Agriculture have collected over 40,000 mosquitos from 105 different sites around the state. While they cannot count every single mosquito, they’re able to estimate the scale of the number based on sample sizes from the sites.

Experts recommend wearing long sleeves and pants to avoid the mosquitos. They also suggest using EPA approved repellent and to limit your time outside at dawn and dusk.

An expert says whether this number is abnormal or a trend depends on the amount of rain Vermont gets in the future.

“It’s hard to guess on the trajectory of mosquito populations. If things dry up again next year, we may see a year or two with lower numbers if the weather continues to behave like it did this year, then we may see increases in the mosquito populations,” said Environmental Surveillance Program Director Patti Casey.

In July, mosquitos collected in Alburgh and Vergennes tested positive for the West Nile virus. Experts say they typically find some mosquitos that test positive for the virus each year and add that those only make up a small portion of the population.

The last confirmed human case was in 2021.