Brace yourself, Calgary. The mosquitoes are coming
Mosquito season is upon us in Calgary.
But, for now at least, summer’s biggest buzzkill is being kept largely at bay — and we have the weather to thank.
“I think we should start seeing them in the next couple of days,” said City of Calgary Integrated Pest Management Technician Alex Coker in an interview with The Weather Network on Tuesday.
“We’re expecting, in terms of numbers, low to average in terms of adults.”
Coker says early larvae monitoring shows low numbers of hatched mosquitoes, a trend she says is likely being influenced by ongoing drought conditions.
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Mosquitoes lay their eggs on or near water, as moisture is needed to trigger the biological processes that lead to hatching and larvae growth.
And, many of Calgary’s mosquitoes are what Coker calls “floodwater” species. That is, they’ve evolved to prefer laying their eggs in standing water sources created by heavy rains and runoff as opposed to permanent bodies of water.
With drought leaving large parts of the Calgary region less-than-saturated, not only will suitable habitats be harder to find, but any thirsty eggs already in the ground might not get the water they need.
Calgary’s mosquitoes have evolved to prefer laying their eggs in standing water sources created by heavy rains and runoff as opposed to permanent bodies of water, says Alex Coker, an Integrated Pest Management Technician for the City of Calgary. (The Weather Network)
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But, with the right weather, the situation could change in a hurry.
“Some of their eggs can lay dormant in the soil for five or more years,” Coker said.
“Even if we have five really dry years, then one really wet year, all of those eggs can hatch. So it really just depends on how much rainfall we get.”
A significant rainfall event could lead to a frenzy of hatching, and some mosquito species can reach adulthood within a week.
So, keep an eye on Calgary’s forecast to get a heads-up on when populations might boom.
And remember, if they do, it’s not all bad news.
The insects are an important food source for other animals, and act as pollinators as well.
