April showers bring May flowers, but May showers could bring more mosquitoes.

The Fort Worth office of the National Weather Service recorded 7.8 inches of rain in May, and experts are warning that floodwater mosquitoes may emerge in North Texas as a result.

What are Texas floodwater mosquitoes?

This type of mosquito isn’t new to the area, said Dr. Sonja Swiger, an entomology professor at Texas A&M University. It’s one of 88 types of mosquitoes known in Texas.

Unlike some mosquitoes, the floodwater mosquito does not lay eggs on the surface of standing water.

“Floodwater mosquitoes lay their eggs in soil that will become flooded,” Swiger said. “The eggs of these mosquitoes can sit and wait for water for months to years, if needed. But when it is wet, like right now, they hatch off with every rain event that leaves behind standing water.”

The insects are not known to carry any pathogens like West Nile virus, Swiger said, though they are known to be larger and more aggressive.

“Mosquitoes that lay their eggs in soil areas that will become flooded do generally develop into large mosquitoes,” Swiger said. “As a group, they are more inclined to attack people, livestock, wildlife and pets and are aggressive by nature.

How does mosquito prevention work?

According to the Tarrant County Public Health, the county collects insects from over 1,000 mosquito traps in various locations and tests samples for the West Nile virus and other diseases.

If a mosquito tests positive for the virus, the department notifies leaders in the area where the insect was found.

Municipal leaders then arrange for ground spraying.

To protect yourself from mosquitoes, the City of Fort Worth recommends dumping outdoor containers of standing water like pools and birdbaths, as well as cleaning out gutters and tightly covering rain barrels or cisterns.

The city also recommends wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants and using insect repellents that contain DEET.