You may notice that mosquitoes disappear in cold weather, but unfortunately they aren’t really gone. Being cold-blooded, mosquitoes prefer temperatures over 80 degrees, but they have several strategies for surviving the winter, depending on the species and the climate. In the fall, mosquitoes mate and the males die. Then females either find a protected place to wait out the cold weather or lay their eggs and die.
In the fall, most species of female mosquitoes switch from blood to rotting fruit or nectar to double their weight for the winter. They then like to hide in partially heated spaces, such as cellars, barns, and houses or in dark and damp outdoor places that are protected from the cold and the snow, like storm sewers, hollow logs and trees, under bark or piles of leaves, among tree roots, and in animal burrows. It takes extremely cold temperatures for these female mosquitoes to die and when temperatures begin to rise, they set out from their hiding places in search of a bloodmeal, so they can lay their eggs and continue their species.
Dormant Eggs and Larvae
In late summer or fall, a small group of mosquito species lay winter hardy eggs in freezing water or in areas where the ground is moist, and then die. These eggs have a special shell that allows them to stay dormant and withstand the cold of the winter. They then hatch when the temperatures rise and conditions become favorable again, usually after a sufficient rain fall. Some mosquito species hatch in the fall and hibernate in the larval stage in water. Their development is suspended and metabolism is slowed as the water temperature drops. The larvae will remain in a state of diapause and then resume development when the water warms again.
Protecting Your Home
Don’t let your home be a winter vacation spot for mosquitoes! Just as you need to protect your yard and the outside of your home from mosquitoes in the winter, you also need to protect the inside of your home. Check dehumidifier, refrigerator, and AC unit drip pans. Think about unseen areas of standing water that could be in your home, such as potted plant containers, unused floor drains in laundry rooms or basements, shower drains in bathrooms that are rarely or never used, or sump pump pits. Any area of standing water can breed mosquitoes…even in the winter!
If you are having issues with mosquitoes in your home this winter or want additional information on where these pesky insects may be hiding, give Mosquito Squad a call today! As America’s most trusted mosquito control company, we have suggestions and solutions for all of your mosquito related problems.