mei xiang has produced surviving cubs including ba bae bae.f she gets pregnant now, her cub would most likely be born around the end of september. >>> the countdown to summer is on. when we come back, susan hogan shows you what works and what doesn't when it comes to bug sprays. >>> plus fair evaders create danger for metro bus driv >>> as we count down the days until the unofficial start of summer, news4 is working for you. if your plans have you heading outdoors, you'll want to make sure you have the right bug spray. consumer reporter susan hogan has what you need to know. >> reporter: with the return of warmer weather comes the return of those pesky mosquitos and with the threat of zika swarming around, you don't want to take any chances. consumer reports says look for insect repellents with one of these three deet, oil of lemon, you ceucaly. sprays are most effective. you can skip natural repellents. most of the plant-based repellents lasted just one hour or less against the mosquito known to spread zika. wristbands and clip -ons and weara

mei xiang has produced bae bae.she gets pregnant now, her cub would most likely be born around the end of september. >>> the countdown to summer is on. when we come back, susan hogan shows you what works and what doesn't when it comes to bug sprays. >>> plus fair evaders create danger for metro bus driv me to listen carefully. i'm ralph northam,aught and when survivors of the virginia tech shooting and close the gun show loophole, i took on the fight. i saw what those weapons can do as an army doctor during the gulf war. now, i'm listening carefully to donald trump, and i think he's a narcissistic maniac. whatever you call him, we're not letting him bring his hate into virginia. >>> as we count down the days until the unofficial start of summer, news4 is working for you. if your plans have you heading outdoors, you'll want to make sure you have the right bug spray. consumer reporter susan hogan has what you need to know. >> reporter: with the return of warmer weather comes the return of those pesky mosquitos and wit

will we find out if mei xiang is pregnant? scientists tell us it could be three or four months before we know that. the average pregnancy is three and six months which means we could have a new panda cub here at the national zoo by the end of august or early september. if it's successful pregnancy, the panda would stay here for four years. we'll keep you updated. nancy: so we are on panda watch until then? jonathan: everything you want to know about the bran da breeding -- panda breeding habits. we are givers. alison: the people here love it. we have had three and everybody here goes crazy. jonathan: they like the results. nancy: they are astorable. we want to give bao bao a brother or sister. doug: we'll see. we know soon enough. jonathan: we know everything no. totally educated. doug: time for the weekend forecast. listen, it's no p far from some of the worst day in the past.had for mayor bowser kicking off the memorial day weekend. jonathan: that is how you do it. nothing says summertime than the mayor diving in the pool. a

alison: it looks like mei xiang is ready to mate again. she is the 18-year-old giant panda at the zoo. so her keeper says she has been restless and calling for her mate. making a baby is not easy for panda. we follow this year after year. there is only a 36-hour window for the two to mate. so they have drawn the curtains at the panda house, you could say. if she gets pregnant we could expect a panda at the end of september. get ready for panda watch. jonathan: put on barry white. nancy: marvin gaye. they said she is in estrus and then the advisory the panda house is closed at 4:00. don't come knocking. doug: 36 hours. see you next year. the nats are back in home with a home stand against seattle. we have seattle type of weather. ed the rain at some point is a good bet. no rain. cloudy skies at the national harbor. that has been the story all day. very little rain but it will change tonight. this batch will settle over the evening. but there is more. the southern section of the west virginia and the north carolina. there is a likelihood at

the zoo said 18-year-old mei xiang has been showing behaviors. the zoo staff plans to gi mei xiang and chen chen time to breed in that time. and then they do it the artificial way and then you can't tell she's pregnant until the end. >> but as you said, she's a little pouty a little flirty, those are the signs, right? >> i don't know if that's how it works. >> maybe this one is actually courting her this time. >> i don't know, they've been together for a long time. they should know what to do. >> good look. we're rooting for you. >> eun, we'll get new there as the unanimonanny. that's eun's dream. >> we'll have to go in with disguises andak >>> well, we have another gray day today, another damp day. rain on the radar this among, but it's moving out, though, for most of the commute. but the roads are still going to be wet. showers and storms more widespread tomorrow. some of that will move in late tonight but the good news is we do have sunshine to start the weekend. a lot of people want to know when the sun's coming back -- right in time for your

jonathan: if you have watched the panda cam recently you might have noticed that mei xiang is more restless than normal. that is not the restless pose but if you watch you will know. the zoo says she may be ready to breed soon. frisky. they are monitoring her 36-hour window where she can conceive. the pair had three cubs survive infancy but only one did not come from artificial insemination so hay hope it will naturally take its course. they have closed the exhibit down at 4:00 and drawn the shades. michelle:♪ turn down the lights and light a candle ♪ jonathan: there you go. let nature be nature. michelle: you're psyched about this. >> i'm happy for the panda. sometimes the bamboo doesn't get it all done. doug: panda romance. all good. rain and more rain. more rain. then no rain. jonathan: are we having rain, doug? doug: i think so. light rain in area now. look live from mclean, at the hyatt regency. a blah look but that is how it looks around the area. cloudy skies. it will stay that way throughout the the heaviest rain with the initial system is well south and east. in fact, very heavy th

sam: the big question right now is ok, when will we find out if mei xiang is pregnant? scientists tell us it takes about three months until they can can -- until they can conclusively know which brings us until the end of august, but sometimes their pregnancies are only three months, so they can find out she is pregnant, and then she could have the panda cubs, but it could take as long as six months. we'll wait to find out if everything is successful. the panda will appear at the national zoo for four years before going to china. live at the national zoo, sam sweeney, abc 7 news. lindsey: thank you. happening now, funeral services are underway for the bowie state student murdered on the caps on the university of maryland. family and friends of second lieutenant richard collins iii are gathered at a church in upper marlboro, saying goodbye. collins was murdered by a white student, while visiting a friend. police are investigating whether it was a hate crime. right now, president trump is knee-deep in meetings at the g7 summit in italy, with talks focus on major world iss

no parking living space and it's expensei living alison: zoo officials artificially inseminated mei xiangrks we could have a panda cub in late september. >> a student got a house full of flames. >> i opened the door and i saw smoke concern? >> my dog. i was afraid she was going to die. >> ah. i know. >> the dog and the cat survived because of his quick thinking and the feet. they contained the flames and they saved some of the house. >> the kids listen when the firefighters and the police officers come to talk to them at school. alison: we listen when julie wright talks to us. >> if i could get the morning crew >> there is not that big of a delay from eastbound 250 to the l'enfant plaza across the bay bridge. 30-minute ride eastbound on 50. inner loop from montgomery county is 18-minute ride east toward 95. this is overall 30-minute commute. southbound 95, the slowest stretch from stafford to fredericksburg. 49-minute ride. now i toss it to doug hill. we saw the mayor run in the pool. are you going to cannonball off the high dive this weekend? doug: my rule is the water temperature has to

right now the panda house at the national zoo is closed because diana mei xiang need pre time. she is showing times she may be ready to mate. they only conceive for 36 hours every year. she has had three surviving cubs. keep you posted. larry: teenager was hoping to walk with her high school classmates next week but when she announced she was pregnant the school administrators decided it wouldn't happen. kevin lewis is live to explain why. >> this is a tiny k-12 school with fewer than 200 students. the principal tells us the value of patriotism and academics and the biblical truth guide the curriculum at this school. so getting pregnant outside of marriage goes against their biblical beliefs. in the 48 years the heritage academy in hagerstown never made the "new york times." that changerred saturday when th maddy, a senior who is 5 months pregnant and not allowed to walk at graduation. >> this has been breach of a standard of abstinence. >> the principal says that she and her parents signed a covenant avowing that the teen wouldn't among other things have sex. >> discipline is

. >> that's mei xiang. >> she has been showing behavioral and physical signs th very small window of opportunity, apparently. female pandas are able to conceive for only about 36 hours each year. so zoo staff plan to give mei a chance to breed naturally. that happens first. and then if that doesn't work, because past attempts have not been successful, they'll have to intervene a bit. >> and they are bringing a team in from china just in case they need some help. >> dinner, dancing, soft music. >> exactly. tom knows what he's doing. >> put on some barry white. >> there you go. >>> speaking of light, tom, we'd like to bring some light out and some sunshine. >> i know. well, gray skies are not going to clear up but put on a happy face anyway, said annie. we have the cloud cover with us but they are new clouds. they are not the old ones, anyway. >> new clouds? >> yes. don't those look clouds? there they are. we've had a little sun this morning but most of it now is getting cleared up. have faith. right now we're in the low to mid-60s just about everywhere. reagan national is at 63. we're

. >> the zoo say mei xiang has been showing behavorial and physical signs she's ready. >> a little extramile. >> that's right, moving her hair. apparently, female pandas are able to conceive for only 36 hours each year. got to act fast. they plan to give meing chan chan a chance to breed naturally. if not successful, they'll do it artificially. good luck. >> turn down the lights. >> luther. >> a little barry white. >>> may is asian-american pacific heritage month. we're honoring people here contributing to the community. nbc4 is gaving awards to community leaders. angie goff and myself hosted the reception last night at the korean cultural center on massachusetts avenue. and that center is such a great resource of your entry into so many korean cultural activities. there are classes on education. music. art exhibits. language courses. it's right on massachusetts avenue between -- is it -- sheridan circle. >> dupont circle is -- >>> let's talk about this rain. it's gone for the most part? >> it is. but it will be back tomorrow. i know, we just keep repeating ourselves every single day thi