Border region residents in farm, urban regions inundated by mozzies

While the AMA has urged residents to get vaccinated for Japanese encephalitis, Vic Emergency said: "Be aware that mosquito-borne disease hazards are present so please cover up and use repellent."

Pest controllers are fielding dozens of calls a day, with one Wodonga-based operator working 14-hour days since flooding worsened last month.

Pianto's Pest Control owner Chris Pianto said he would normally take between five and 10 call-outs for mosquito eradication but had received 40 calls in the past fortnight.

"I am seeing them absolutely everywhere - close to the river particularly, on both sides," Mr Pianto said. "I've just been to south Corowa and rather than slapping them off yourself, you're wiping them off yourself, there's so many of them - it's quite extraordinary.

"The main hotspots are agricultural areas where they can actually live in long grass if it stays wet enough, which it is."

Mr Pianto said it wasn't just farming districts he was being called out to.

"You have to target their resting areas which is the underside of any leaves in the yard and vertical surfaces such as fences, walls, outdoor ceilings, but foliage is the main one," he said.

"People can also try to get rid of as many areas of still, standing water as they can, for example puddles, dog water bowls, or window runners - they only need a few millilitres of water to lay their eggs."

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Mr Pianto said some of his clients were concerned about diseases spread by mosquitos.

"A lot of low-lying areas where you get lots of pooling and puddles - especially out towards Lowesdale, Carine.

"Most of my clients are sick of being bitten, but quite a few have expressed concern about encephalitis."

Meanwhile, Local Land Services said sheep producers across the region were battling mosquitos from wet and unseasonably cool conditions.

"Large bodies of water and an abundance of green grass has created the perfect conditions for mosquito populations to explode," LLS spokesman Matt Jones said.

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