Nature Note:Mosquitoes Return

Ferocious mosquitoes have emerged in recent days,reviving memories of last summer as they bit growers going about their tasks,or resting on their decks and porches.Even if there isn't visible standing water,the parasites are attacking us,biting hands and arms.The humidity has been low in the Mid-Atlantic region,so it is hardly a tropical paradise for the insects.Temperatures have been below normal as well.Indeed,June 2009 was nine degrees Fahrenheit cooler than last June.The weekend will bring more normal conditions,only to return to pleasant weather in the early part of next week.The general reaction to this unusual gift has been one of astonishment.The air conditioners have been rested for entire days, or at least part of the day-unheard of in July.