A mosquito count ...
Text: Vello Keppart
Photo: Urmas Tartes
Translation: Liis
Mosquito filled with blood.
... hasn't been made but each year they seem to be many in the beginning of the season. Possible reasons:
- It has obviously to do with the high air temperatures lately. At lower temperatures the development of the mosquito larvae from eggs and the further development of the larvae takes longer and the first mosquitoes would emerge from the pupa stage during an extended period (waters in sunshine, half-shade and full shade will differ) and the spread in time is larger. With hot weather and warm nights the developement in all water bodies, even in full shade, has been very fast.
- Night frosts that caused a temporary ice cover to form on water puddles occurred only in a few mornings and even that wasn’t everywhere. The mosquito larvae stayed alive.
- Heavy lasting rain reduces the number of mosquitoes and of mosquito larvae. There have been heavy rains locally but not everywhere.
- Flooded areas were large this spring, but the mosquitoes obviously didn’t lay eggs on higher ground in autumn; the floods shouldn’t influence the numbers. In arid and dry springs there are certainly fewer mosquitoes however.
- In calm weather the mosquitoes also fly in open landscapes and quite high up – people are attacked by mosquitoes where they usually are rare: in open areas, top floors of houses, in early mornings even at sea.
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