Christmas weekend was cold, no doubt. But was it cold enough to kill off mosquitoes?
We shook and shivered like no other through the recent holiday weekend. Are mosquitoes hearty enough to have survived? Here in Central Mass, the low temperature reached single digits on Christmas Eve and Christmas day. Some of us had to take safety measures for our outdoor animals during this cold snap. How on Earth could small animals and insects survive it?
Will cold weather kill mosquitoes?
Warm blooded animals are adapted to cold weather in a number of ways.
While all may not survive, the woodland creatures we see frolicking around our cold, snowy yards are protected by the addition of a layer of fat. Woodland animals and rodents will also store away a whole winter’s worth of food to sustain them through the cold. Some warm-blooded animals have fur that is resistant to cold temperatures. Others hibernate or migrate ahead of winter. Geese and other waterfowl have a cold-weather-adaptable vascular system. Warm, oxygenated blood is sent to their extremities to fight against extremely cold temperatures.
Two animals in nature have the ability to freeze and thaw without cell damage. These are the wooly bear caterpillars and wood frog. Other cold-blooded animals are not affected by winter weather, and will stow away for the season in trees, underbrush, or in the ground.
Also read: Is it normal to see mosquitoes in the winter?
Mosquitoes can be killed by cool temperatures.
Temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit can be detrimental to a mosquitoes survival. Larval mosquitoes too, can die in sustained temperatures below 50 degrees. However, some mosquitoes have adapted to colder temps, and will survive unless much colder sustained temperatures are reached. There is no doubt that our recent cold snap during the holidays could have eliminated some mosquitoes and mosquito larvae. As for mosquito eggs, they are another story. Some research has shown that mosquito eggs can last for years before achieving proper hatching conditions to roll around.
The final answer is yet unknown, have mosquito control at the ready.
Will this winter be bold enough to help us eliminate mosquitoes and mosquito larvae before springtime comes back around? We will begin to find out in late March to mid-April whether Mother Nature’s wrath has done us any favors. That is why effect mosquito control solutions should be top-of-mind as winter withers away. Professional barrier protection sprays should begin in late March or April, and continue into October in Central Mass. Depending on your needs, EPA registered and natural formulas are available from reputable mosquito control companies.