ROCKHAMPTON residents have been feeling the bite of the recent mozzie invasion caused by unusually heavy rainfall.

A Rockhampton Regional Council spokesperson recently said council had been receiving up to 20 complaints a day about swarms of mosquitoes.

Bucking the trend as the lowest month for rainfall in the Rockhampton region, September was Rockhampton’s wettest on record.

And the wet weather has provided a vast breeding ground for mosquitoes.

Park Avenue resident Beau Thompson said the bloodsucking pests began swarming the area a few weeks ago.

“They’re terrible; they are just every

where. We have been using lots of repellent and mosquito coils,” he said.

But Queensland Health stressed the increase in mosquitoes in Central Queensland has not caused a surge in mosquito-borne diseases.

In the last two months there have been only eight cases of Barmah Forest virus, four cases of Ross River virus and one case of dengue fever.

But the Director of Environmental Health for Central Queensland Public Health Unit, Paul Florian, warned people not to become complacent.

He advises people wear insect spray, use mosquito coils and ensure all containers outside remain dry to prevent breeding hotspots.

“We want to ensure people are as prepared as possible to help prevent transmission of mosquito-borne disease, now and in the future,” he said.

They’re terrible; they are just everywhere