The Brief

PHOENIX - Recent rains have led to a mosquito population explosion across the Valley, biting people and pets.

"They’re not my favorite. I think this is the worst year I’ve ever seen," said Sue Shafer, who lives in Phoenix. "You know, we had all that tremendous rain."

Mosquitoes are everywhere. They are more than a nuisance; they can carry West Nile virus and spread heartworms to animals. But we are learning more about how mosquitoes pick their prey and ways to keep them away.

Dig deeper:

Only female mosquitoes bite, and studies show they’re attracted to the carbon dioxide humansexhale, along with dark clothing.

But then, things get a little weird.

"What is very interesting to us is for some reason, Type O is twice more likely to get bitten by a mosquito than non-Type O,"

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