Three Interesting Facts About Mosquito Behavior And Temperatures

It’s been a grand summer this year and now the temps are dipping. The annoying mosquitoes have been party-pooping all over the place. You couldn’t just enjoy the summer sunsets without that pesky buzzing sound in your ear, right? What now? Will you have to endure these bugs even into the fall? What can you do about it? You need to know all you can about mosquito behavior and this post will get you started.

It’s Not About Time

Most animals’ activities are like clockwork. From November through to February, they disappear from the scene. They do this to avoid the extremely low temps during winter. But when it comes to mosquitoes, it is not the time that matters most. As long as the temps are relatively warm, mosquitoes are active, even if its early winter. So, their behavior changes with the temps, not the month of the year.

Mosquitoes are most active based on the temperature, not the time of year. In the South, this means they are active for most of the year. Even though summer is almost over, the heat will stay for a while. Sometimes, we even see temperatures above 70 degrees well into the fall season. With mosquitoes still active, it’s important to continue taking precautions.

Treatments for mosquitoes should continue into the fall, even if you aren’t experiencing mosquito issues. There are reasons behind the “start it early and finish late” saying when it comes to mosquito treatments. Treatments should run from March to October to ensure the mosquitoes are dealt with correctly. Read more at Call Northwest

Diapause Not Hibernation

Eventually, when the temps drop to freezing point or thereabout, mosquitoes will disappear. Well, they won’t burst into a million tiny pieces like a movie scene. Instead, they hide out in various conducive places as the following post describes.

We’re familiar with the idea of mammals hibernating through winter but mosquitoes, like many other insects, can enter a phase of inactivity called diapause.

Once cold weather arrives, adult mosquitoes find hiding places such as tree hollows and animal burrows, within the cracks and crevices of bushland environments, or in garages, basements or other structures around our homes, suburbs and cities. These mosquitoes may only live a few weeks during summer but going into diapause allows them to survive many months through winter.

Mosquitoes can also be found in frozen bodies of water, whether it is a bucket of water in your backyard or a near freezing wetland. For example, there is a group of mosquitoes that belong to the genus Coquillettidia whose larvae attach to the submerged parts of aquatic plants and can survive the cold winter temperatures. Read more at The Conversation

Why They Become Inactive

Now that you know that mosquitoes go into diapause, you may be wondering why they do this. Is it that they lack the adaptation to survive cold weather? And can you manipulate the weather conditions at your home to chase away the bugs? Well, that’s something to think through, but here’s what the science says.

Mosquitoes are insects that have been around for a long time, so it’s no wonder they’ve learned to adapt to the cold weather. But why do they go into this hibernation state?

The simple reason why female mosquitoes hibernate during the winter is that they are cold-blooded insects. Their survival is dependent on warmer temperatures. When the environment they inhabit starts to change temperatures, mosquitoes take survival matters into their own hands. Adult male mosquitoes, however, don’t have the option to enter this state and tend to die off before the temperature dips below 50 degrees. Read more at Dynatrap

So, if you ruin the comfortable environment for mosquitoes around your home, there’s a possibility you’ll encounter fewer bugs.

Nevertheless, the good news is that there are tried and tested mosquito control methods you can consider for satisfactory results. The better news is that you are at the right place. Backyard Bug Patrol is your go-to pest control company in Bethesda, MD. We provide mosquito and tick control services as well as a preventative treatment plan for ants, spiders, crickets, and silverfish. Call us today and let us engage to get a plan rolling for your bug-free home!