COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. — Rainy season means many of us are starting to feel those mosquito bites. While they are annoying for us, they can have deadly consequences for our pet’s health.

Thursday, we met up with the Collier Mosquito Control District to see what they’re doing to prevent a population boom before problems get too far.

If you see a particular helicopter above you in Immokalee or Ava Maria, don’t worry. It’s there to treat mosquitos using less than an ounce of product per acre. It’s an organic material that treats the air around you, so hopefully, you don’t get a ton of bites this summer.

“We don’t treat the whole county. We have a specific district where people live,” Robin King said. The treatment we’re talking about today focuses on Ave Maria and Immokalee because that’s where we see a majority of the mansonia species.

“They can spread dog heartworms. The mansonia are not spreading any human diseases,” King reported. “They can be a real nuisance. They can make life miserable, so that’s why we’re out there doing what we can to knock these mosquitos down.”

The Collier Mosquito Control District uses a special helicopter to spray an ultra-low concentration of organic material in the air. It’s approved by the EPA.

“I think it’s a good idea. I’m all for that,” pet owner Nick Ward said.

He and others had no idea this was something to worry about with his Greyhound, Boogie.

“I’m glad I give her heartworm medicine,” he said with a laugh.

The spraying happens in the few hours before sunset because that’s the only time those blood suckers are active.