Mosquito nuisance has increased considerably since mid-August, researchers from Wageningen University & Research (WUR) report on the Nature Today website. At the beginning of the summer there were still relatively few mosquitoes and mosquito nuisance.
From mid-August on mosquitoradar.nl, a website where people can report how much mosquitoes bother them, many more reports were received than before. The average nuisance was higher than the three previous years. “This is probably because it rained a lot in July and August. This meant that many breeding sites were available for a longer period of time,” the researchers explain. Mosquitoes need places where there is water for several weeks in which larvae can develop, such as plant pots, buckets and saucers filled with water.
Another peak
The researchers expect that there will be another peak in mosquito nuisance in September due to the current high temperatures. “First of all, higher temperatures lead to larger numbers of female mosquitoes that actively search for blood. In addition, the development of the larvae is much faster at higher temperatures than normal around this time.” To reduce nuisance, people can check containers and saucers in their garden and empty them if there is water in them.
In June it was very hot and very dry, making it difficult for mosquitoes to find breeding grounds. Mugenradar.nl received relatively few reports at the time. At the end of June and the beginning of July, the average mosquito nuisance was lower than at the same time in the three previous years, reports the WUR.