The summer months are drawing closer, and that means the return of everyone’s least favorite bloodsuckers — mosquitoes.

In order to help put a dent in the pests’ population, the City of Athens will begin its mosquito control program Monday, weather permitting.

The routes and schedules for the spraying will be the same as last year, according to program coordinator Brad Gee. Spraying take place from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, though changes may occur on account of weather, as the trucks cannot fog in rain or in winds exceeding 10 mph.

“If there is a holiday or a day skipped by weather, we will make adjustments to the day of the route,” Gee said.

Any beekeepers with hives inside the Athens city limits may contact Gee by email at bgee@athensal.us or by phone by calling at 256-262-1415. They are instructed to leave a message if no one answers.

“The times we spray shouldn’t affect them at all, but we like to know the locations to make sure,” Gee said.

He said a list of hive locations will be kept so the City can avoid spraying when bees are foraging.

According to a release from the City, the product used for the mosquito control program is called Kontrol 30-30 made by Masterline. It is made up of 30% permethrin, 30% piperonyl butoxide and 40% inert ingredients.

“Permethrin is the active ingredient pesticide, and piperonyl butoxide is a synthetic pesticide that works with the permethrin while the inert ingredients are there to act as a bonding agent and to keep the chemical from evaporating so quickly once it’s sprayed into the air,” the City said in the release. “The chemical is mixed with mineral oil and distributed through an ultra-low volume sprayer.”