Very Low Mosquito Activity in Slana

Observation by Amanda Droghini:

Last year, around May 20th, the mosquitoes emerged. One day there were none, and the next they were everywhere. I remember the approximate date because my friend from Sweden was staying at my house after a late spring ski trip, and he laughed at my husband and I as we frantically ran from room to room, putting up magnetic screen doors and swatting mosquitoes with our bug zappers.

LEO Comment:

Mosquitos seemed to show up a little later than normal in Anchorage. This could be due to cold weather this winter and spring. It does seem to be variable dependent on specific location and the day. One location in Anchorage seemed to have few mosquitos and then on a hike they were covering the dog. Lars Flora

Comment by Wilson Justin:

It’s a slow spring for insects, bugs and mosquitoes. Very few butterflies, no blue or gray moths. But the most conspicuous absence is mosquitoes for the simple reason that mosquitoes are immediately on your face or hands when they are present. Everything else is seen but mosquitoes are on you the instant they arrive. Their absence then is very noticeable. Why! Very good question. And one that should raise concerns on a larger scale. In the meantime the absence may have an impact we have yet to recognize.

Comment by Derek Sikes:

I suspect the mosquitoes were just delayed due to the cold spring. I was down near the Tanana river about 1h south of Fairbanks yesterday and the mosquitoes were super dense! Had a dozen in my car when I left. Around my house in Fairbanks they are no more or less common than normal.

Comment by Rick Thoman:

Mosquito levels are always highly variable. In Fairbanks area, many folks in and out of town have remarked this summer is one of the worst for mosquito years in some years. Brian Brettschneider at NWS has looked in detail at his impression of Anchorage mosquito levels over the years and, I believe, found no correlation with any weather/climate factor.