Mosquito forecast may help avoid some itches

People more sensitive to mosquito bites across China are now able to adjust their outdoor activities and take precautions using real-time, publicly available data about the pests' density.

The data - based on an algorithm that uses weather factors crucial to the insects' survival and reproduction, such as temperature and humidity - can be accessed via China Meteorological Administration's mobile website e.weather.com.cn.

The "mosquito forecast", as the new service is called, categorizes the insect's numbers in a given area using a four-tiered warning system - few, normal, many and plentiful - represented by the colors green, yellow, orange and red.