Mosquito Population Should Decrease With Colder Weather
By: Monica Yantosh
Updated: October 10, 2012
According to Glenn Heinrich with City of Lubbock Vector Control, there are only 2 types of cold weather mosquitoes. That's out of a total of 21 species that we see in this area.
"Any time we get colder weather, it's really effective, a lot of them will probably die off," said Heinrich.
Vector control first began spraying for mosquitoes in early spring and continued through summer as cases of West Nile increased throughout the state of Texas. With cooler temperatures, we should see less mosquitoes.
"Most species will probably go into hibernation and you probably won't see them during the winter, and most of them only live a few weeks anyway, so the weather's really playing in our favor," said Heinrich.
This week alone, temperatures have gone from freezing up to Tuesday's high of 90 degrees. "As the frequency of the colder weather gets closer, and you have less warm days, then you'll have less mosquitoes," said Heinrich. It's the cold temperatures that kills off mosquitoes.
"We're probably passed the worst because of the weather, and the time of the season, and just the species that are involved," said Heinrich. "The frequency of the virus kind of goes away as we enter the colder months so your chances of contracting the disease is a lot less than it would be."
Here in Lubbock County, there are 13 confirmed cases of West Nile Virus, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Heinrich admits, however, that because the temperatures are still warm, not all mosquitoes will die. "As the weather warms us, those that will survive will lay eggs, and the larvae will hatch, and if you get longer periods of warmer weather, then you'll have more mosquitoes that will hatch out and become a problem," said Heinrich.
"Any time we get colder weather, it's really effective, a lot of them will probably die off," said Heinrich.
Vector control first began spraying for mosquitoes in early spring and continued through summer as cases of West Nile increased throughout the state of Texas. With cooler temperatures, we should see less mosquitoes.
"Most species will probably go into hibernation and you probably won't see them during the winter, and most of them only live a few weeks anyway, so the weather's really playing in our favor," said Heinrich.
This week alone, temperatures have gone from freezing up to Tuesday's high of 90 degrees. "As the frequency of the colder weather gets closer, and you have less warm days, then you'll have less mosquitoes," said Heinrich. It's the cold temperatures that kills off mosquitoes.
"We're probably passed the worst because of the weather, and the time of the season, and just the species that are involved," said Heinrich. "The frequency of the virus kind of goes away as we enter the colder months so your chances of contracting the disease is a lot less than it would be."
Here in Lubbock County, there are 13 confirmed cases of West Nile Virus, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Heinrich admits, however, that because the temperatures are still warm, not all mosquitoes will die. "As the weather warms us, those that will survive will lay eggs, and the larvae will hatch, and if you get longer periods of warmer weather, then you'll have more mosquitoes that will hatch out and become a problem," said Heinrich.
