Result of a Mild Morrow County, Ohio Winter

The mild winter might have been kind to your budget when it came to reduced heating bills, but expect to pay for it later in other ways.

Photo credit: Filiford from morguefile.com

 Insects

Expect insects (especially mosquitos) to be out in swarms this spring and summer. In fact, the little pests are already out, buzzing around, looking for people and animals upon which to feed. The mild winter was not cold enough to kill off part of the larvae population like it normally does and the warm damp weather is perfect for breeding for the nasty things.

If you have standing water, for your own protection, either dump it or toss some mosquito dunks in it to kill mosquito larvae. Then, plan to protect yourself and your pets with either insect repellent or those ultra-sonic insect repellent things.

Snakes

Now for some good news or bad news, depending on how you feel about snakes. With the increased insect population, snakes have a ready food supply and the warm winter let them breed indiscriminately, too. If you haven't alreadyn noticed them, the snakes are already out in rural Morrow County, in numbers vastly increased from last year. (Based on observation and counting.)

To protect yourself from snake bites (even non-venomous snake bites hurt), exercise caution when working in the yard. Make sure that stick you're picking up is really a stick before you grab it. If you have to move a tarp or a fallen log, don't just stick your hand under there, use a stick or rake handle to lift it up and peek under there first.

Enjoy the warm weather, but keep yourself safe and healthy by avoiding mosquito and snake bites while working and enjoying the great outdoors.