One thing seems very likely: Australia is in for a very hot summer. But rainfall will determine if we will be itching from mosquito bites.

To get a dreaded “big” mosquito season, there needs to be ongoing, intermittent rainfall, as heavy falls tend to fill up breeding sites for the mozzies, Professor Ary Hoffmann from the University of Melbourne explained.

The heat can aid mosquitoes in developing more quickly, which means more are out for blood.

“A combination of occasional downpours and hot weather will actually get the mosquitoes through a lot and you’ll get a larger population [of the insects}.”

South-eastern Australia has had quite a few downpours recently, which may have been the perfect time for mosquitoes to get busy breeding, but they might soon be out of luck.

Right now, the Bureau of Meteorology is predicting a drier than average, but very hot summer for most of Australia, which is good news, if you don’t like pesky insects.

“If it turns out to be dry, even if it’s hot, you won’t get many mosquitoes,” Hoffmann said.

“Eventually those puddles and standing water containers and everything else basically dry up and then mosquito numbers will crash.”

Mosquitoes breed in standing water, so less rain means fewer mosquitoes.

How to prevent mosquitoes

Although there’s a good chance the lack of rain will dry up any hopes of mozzies breeding en masse, it’s always worth preparing for the worst.

Hoffmann suggests getting rid of any breeding sites around the home.

Make sure your gutters are empty, ensure rainwater tanks have netting and are covered right, and empty any containers that might have filled with water.

“It’s really worthwhile just going around your backyard having a look and making sure that any standing water is emptied, and that will certainly reduce mosquito numbers,” he said.

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The hotter weather might mean more afternoons and nights outside, so it’s best to dress for the occasion.

Hoffmann suggests wearing loose clothing to avoid being bitten and having repellant on hand is always a good idea.

It’s worth taking precautions because not only are bites itchy and annoying, but some carry diseases.

“Encephalitis is quite rare, but when that occurs, of course, it can be deadly,” Hoffmann said.

“It’s certainly one to be concerned about and if we get large mosquito populations, the risk of Japanese encephalitis does increase.”

Ross River Virus isn’t lethal, but instances do occur at this time of year and in Victoria, flesh-eating bacteria also correlates to high mosquito numbers, Hoffmann added.