Despite a cooler and wetter spring, Vancouver Island might not be in line for excessive mosquitoes this summer, according to an expert.
Rain water does contribute to ideal breeding conditions, said Dan Peach, an entomologist completing a post-doctoral fellowship at UBC, but there are other factors in play when it comes to mosquito population and it remains to be seen if there will be a boom.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 an interesting trade-off B次元官网网址� the more water and more moisture means more habitat for mosquitoes,B次元官网网址� said Peach. B次元官网网址淭here are mosquitoes that use temporary water habitats, and so they wonB次元官网网址檛 dry out as quickly. But the flip side of that is because of how cool itB次元官网网址檚 been, it takes longer for mosquitoes to develop and for those species, which have multiple generations a year, this will hamper their ability to build up their population numbers, so it depends on exactly how those trade-offs will really interact going forward.B次元官网网址�
Peach was out collecting specimens two weeks ago that he said he would normally come across in late winter or early spring.
With Environment CanadaB次元官网网址檚 special weather statement forecasting warmer and sunnier weather in the coming days, that might also affect mosquito numbers.
B次元官网网址淟ast year, they plummeted towards the end of the summer there,B次元官网网址� said Peach. B次元官网网址淒uring the heat dome, it really knocked them down. Heat and dryness will kill adult mosquitoes quite well. They desiccate B次元官网网址� they dry out and die. It also dries up breeding habitat for them so they canB次元官网网址檛 reproduce as well.B次元官网网址�
A hot, wet summer would likely lead to elevated numbers, the entomologist said.
In terms of mitigating risk of being bitten, Peach recommends disposing of standing water that can accumulate on tarps and in buckets, as that is premium habitat for breeding. A press release from pest control company Orkin Canada recommends trimming vegetation, circulating water in pools, fountains and ponds and using yellow bulbs outdoors, as they are less attractive to mosquitoes.
Peach said wearing light-coloured clothing also helps as female mosquitoes, which are the ones that draw blood, B次元官网网址減refer dark coloration,B次元官网网址� and wearing insect repellent or natural alternatives can also be effective.
B次元官网网址淟emongrass and citronella are great, rosemary too,B次元官网网址� said Peach. B次元官网网址淵ou kind of want a bunch of those things.B次元官网网址�
He also pointed out the insects also get a bad rap and have ecological benefit. TheyB次元官网网址檙e pollinators and a food source, with bats, spiders, fish, birds, frogs, dragonflies and their larvae and predaceous diving beetles among the species feeding on mosquitoes or their larvae.
B次元官网网址淟arval mosquitoes are filter feeders and in some ways, theyB次元官网网址檙e helping to convert solar energy from the sun into biomass,B次元官网网址� said Peach. B次元官网网址淪o the larvae will eat algae, and decomposing organic matter and theyB次元官网网址檒l convert that into insect biomass B次元官网网址� and either something eats them or they die somewhere and decompose. In either case, thatB次元官网网址檚 helping to transfer nutrients from solar energy into biomass. So you think of the sheer number of mosquitoes in some environments, and there might be a lot at play there.B次元官网网址�
Peach seeks assistance for his research. He asks people put B次元官网网址渟quishedB次元官网网址� mosquitoes on a piece of paper, include date of collection and address, cross-street or coordinates from Google Maps, and mail to Ben Matthews Lab, UBC Department of Zoology, 4200-6270 University Blvd., Vancouver, B.C., V6T 1Z4.
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