Many have been thinking that the recent cold snap will affect the mosquito population this summer. Preventive Pest Control owner Jeremy Logsdon spoke with Dr. Sonja Swiger from the Entomology Department at Texas A&M to find out how the polar freeze could affect pests in our area.
Will the cold freeze affect mosquitoes for summer 2021?
Dr. Swiger believes the cold snap is unlikely to affect the overall population of mosquitoes in Texas. In fact, mosquitoes live in every area of the world except Antarctica. Many of the species of mosquitoes that we have in Texas are the same species seen in northern states, which have adapted to cooler climates to survive.
Mosquitoes, like many insects, are used to winter—it’s nothing new, even if it comes at a seemingly strange time for humans. Dr. Swiger reminds us that while the cold spell felt like a long time to us, it was really only a few days. Additionally, mosquitoes in the Aedes Egypti family (the species most common in our area) haven’t hatched yet, which means they likely weren’t affected at all by cold temperatures.
Will the cold have any effect on mosquitoes?
According to Dr. Swiger, “What it can do is it can delay the population, it can throw them out of sync, so to speak. But there are 85 different species of mosquitoes. And the chances that all 85 were killed off with the one week of really cold weather is very slim.”
All in all, the cold spell isn’t likely to affect the mosquito population for summer. While some mosquitoes and other insects may not make it through the cold, it’s unlikely that it would affect an entire species or region in any notable way.
There you have it! Make sure to stock up on mosquito repellent for the summer and contact Preventive Pest Control for your pest control needs! (713) 955-7405