A bite prevention expert has warned an imminent mosquito infestation is on the way to the UK.
Howard Carter expects there to be a 20% rise in mosquitoes in the country as temperatures rise at the end of the month.
Although The Met Office has cast doubt over whether we will see an August heatwave, Mr Carter said a combination of warm and moist conditions will result in the perfect breeding conditions for mosquitoes.
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He said: "The reason we've got so many this year is not just because of the warmer weather, but because we also had record numbers of rainfall in July.
"We've had a relatively colder spell - so the mosquitoes will be out for another breeding cycle as the weather warms up at the end of August/beginning of September. As long as temperatures are above 14C then mosquitoes can be up and flying."
Mr Carter, who founded mosquito insect repellent Incognito, has said the other reason why there is such a large amount of mosquitoes this year is due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
He said: " Hotels and swimming pools that were completely abandoned during the pandemic became the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes. More mosquitoes were breeding and less were being killed so we already started with a higher level of mosquitoes at the beginning of 2021 - which is why there are more numbers here than ever before."
Mr Carter has worked as an adviser for the government during dangerous mosquito outbreaks such as the Zika virus.
Although the chances of getting mosquito borne illnesses such as malaria and dengue fever in the UK are slim, figures from YouGov show 30,000 people go to A&E every August with insect bite or sting related issues.
The mosquito expert said: "It's a real strain on the NHS and a real problem for people, especially those who get bitten. They need to take extra precautions."
Mr Carter describes the rise in mosquitoes as an 'ever-growing' problem - as half of France now has the Asian Tiger mosquito or Aedes aegypti which both carry dengue fever - and he says its only going to get worse due to climate change.
He warned: "Because of the rise in temperatures and the increase in global travel, it is only a matter of time before malaria returns to the UK because you've got all the ingredients."
Expert advice on how to protect yourself from mosquito bites
Mr Carter got into the insect repellent industry after contracting malaria in 1998 - and then was hit with dengue fever while he was recuperating just six months later despite taking all the proper precautions.
In addition to creating Incognito insect repellent, which makes mosquitoes unable to detect you, he designed a C.L.O.A.K acronym which gives people tips on how to avoid mosquito bites:
C - Cover up skin as much as possible with suitable clothing, especially arms and legs
L - Light coloured and loose clothing is advisable to wear as mosquitoes are attracted to dark colours.
O - Odours, both bodily & otherwise e.g. perfumes & nearly all scented toiletries attract insects to you. It is advised to wash with citrus based products
A - Apply a PMD insect repellent
K - Keep mosquitoes out of your home and keep away from stagnant water
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