Edmonton’s heat wave might be keeping mosquitos away: expert

Officials in Edmonton say recent hot weather is keeping the mosquito population at bay in the city.

While most people appreciate some hotter days, it’s fair to say that mosquitos are less well-received. 

According to city officials, sweltering days could be keeping the bloodsuckers at bay. 

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“We’ve had really dry conditions in Edmonton since the spring, and all the mosquitos need water in order to carry out their life cycle,” said Sarah McPike, a biological sciences technologist with the city. 

“We’ve had relatively low numbers all summer long.”

The most common type of mosquito in the area is the Culex pipiens species, or the common house mosquito. McPike said this summer they’ve been less than one per cent of the mosquito count. 

This bodes well for concerns about West Nile virus, as the first human case of the mosquito-transmitted disease was confirmed in Toronto on Thursday. 

There are a few species of mosquitos in the Edmonton area that could “potentially” carry West Nile virus, McPike said, but the species they’re catching in their traps with the city are “not known to vector West Nile virus.” 

“The mosquito carries the virus, and most of the time it’s going to choose to bite a bird to get the blood that the female needs to grow its eggs,” she said. 

“So they’re much more likely to bite birds in our area than they are to bite people.” 

For people who are concerned, McPike said the best defence starts at home. 

“Make sure you don’t have much standing water in your backyard. Empty bird baths regularly, watch for flowerpots and things where you can make sure they don’t have any standing water in them,” she said.