Even with cooler fall temperatures coming, which local experts say typically cause mosquito populations to decline, one researcher says Calgary isn’t completely safe yet
The relatively new species likely just reached its population peak, according to John Soghigian, an assistant professor of parasitology at the University of Calgary.
This Culex pipiensAlso known as the common house mosquito, it appeared in the province only six years ago.
“The first sample we have is from 2018 and it came from Edmonton,” Soghigian said.
Other mosquitoes rely on wet or flooded areas to find their habitat, which means they can have trouble in drought conditions. However, the common house mosquito can use water barrels or bird baths that people leave outside.
“We find it everywhere this year [Calgary] again. This is a mosquito that peaks its activity around now or a little later, which is also different from our normal mosquitoes,” Soghigian said.
“So his season lasts until September. We even had some mosquito activity in October.”
Scientists at the University of Calgary are working with pest control technicians in Calgary and Edmonton to understand the implications of a drought-tolerant mosquito species that is relatively new to Alberta, the northern house mosquito, Culex pipiens. John Soghigian talks to Jo Horwood.
The common house mosquito has been identified as a carrier of West Nile virus, but Soghigian said there is no need to panic “because there are a lot of things we don’t know about this mosquito yet.”
“The West Nile was [in Alberta] for a while because we have other mosquitoes that can carry it. So it’s not like [the common house mosquito] brought a new pathogen, as far as we know.”
Soghigian’s lab monitors and studies the mosquito in partnership with the City of Calgary. He says people can protect themselves by using bug spray, wearing long sleeves and covering objects like water barrels so mosquitoes can’t use them.
“[The common house mosquito] “It does well in warm weather and also when it might be a little bit cooler. It can survive a couple of cold spells, so it does really well in a variety of conditions,'” Soghigian said.
“This is a mosquito that we expect to see a significant increase in its range due to climate change, and that’s essentially what we think is happening.”
Mosquito numbers this summer are ‘typical’, city says
Despite local temperature increases throughout the summer, which could impact mosquito populations, the City of Calgary told CBC News that “overall, mosquito numbers from May to August were typical this year.”
“In some areas of Calgary, mosquito numbers may have been lower than average, depending on location and time of year,” city officials said.
“It depends on local factors such as rainfall and the types of habitat available.”
From now until September, you can expect a decrease in mosquito activity in the city.
Although the general public views mosquitoes as nuisance insects, Ken Fry, an entomologist at Olds College, emphasized their importance to the environment.
Fry said mosquitoes are part of the food web. Not only that, but they also pollinate flowers when they get the nectar that powers their flight muscles.
Fry noted that mosquitoes feed on “coarse and fine particles of organic matter,” such as leaves that fall to the surface of ponds or ditches.
Typically, these particles of organic matter settle to the bottom of the environment in which they are found, becoming an “untapped resource.”
Mosquitoes can filter inaccessible organic matter with their mouthparts and convert it into biomass, which can then be eaten by fish and other insects.
“That’s actually an underrated role for mosquitoes. So I think they’re very good for our aquatic habitats.”
