Mosquitos!!

[Rich Z]

Damn they are heavy this year. I've only got two mosquito magnets running because my oldest one just won't start up, but I've had to change the capture bags in both of them TWICE now in the last couple of weeks. Normally I might have to change the bag every two or three propane tank refills, which is normally 3 weeks to a month for each refill. Right around sunset, the magnets are just covered and surrounded by even more mosquitos waiting to get entrapped. It's unreal! With the number captured and killed so far, I just can't imagine what it would be like around here without them. We would probably be trapped inside the house and buildings because they would be impossible to avoid when we walked outside.

I ordered two more Mosquito magnets because I've been finding quite a few in the animal buildings and I need to step up the trapping to get rid of them faster.

But where the heck are they all coming from? I've been running these mosquito magnets for a couple of years now, and they have always been taking mosquitos out of the environment. But with the numbers now, either someone is just dumping truck loads of mosquitos at the end of our driveway or SOMETHING has really caused the population of them to explode.

Now the strange thing is that I put a five gallon bucket half filled with water near one of the mosquito magnets and I have yet to see any mosquito larvae in it. The reason I do this is that I assume some of the mosquitos may connect with a blood meal, and I want them to lay their eggs in a place where I can then kill off the larvae rather than them finding some other place where they will hatch and become even more mosquitos. But I am baffled about why there seems to be an almost unlimited supply of mosquitos around here but NO larvae in an obvious place for them to be.

Sheesh, wouldn't that be a kick in the butt if the mosquitos mutated to where they no longer need that water cycle for the larvae? Man, we would be in BIG trouble then.... Sure would be some BIG changes in Florida if the more virulent strains of malaria found it's way here.

[Rich Z]

Maybe it's just a local thing and temporary to boot, but ordinarily we have dozens of toads around the reptile and rodent buildings, and some green tree frogs hanging around the house. For the last several months, I have seen exactly ONE (1) toad and ONE (1) green tree frog. Period.

I have heard vague stories here and there about amphibians being in trouble, but this is some first hand observations of something being amiss around here concerning those critters. Has any one else experienced something similar? Or perhaps opposing observations to set my mind at east that we aren't seen a serious decline in amphibians?

On a perhaps related note, this is the WORST year I have ever seen for mosquitoes around here. I have a few mosquito traps running, and after about a month when the mosquito outbreak first began, I have enough mosquitoes to fill a five gallon bucket nearly HALF full. Now that, my friends, is one HELL of a lot of mosquitoes! I had to change out the capture bag on one of the traps after only SIX (6) days running, where I have NEVER had a bag get even close to full even after months of running.

Here's a pic of an empty capture bag:


And here's a bag after just SIX (6) days worth of mosquitoes have filled it:


I'm thinking that perhaps if the amphibians ARE in decline, even locally, perhaps this is contributing to the INCLINE of the mosquito population. I would suspect that the tadpoles usually abundant in temporary ponds probably take quite a toll on mosquito larvae, but if the amphibians are basically gone, well MANY more of the mosquito larvae get to change over into mosquitoes.

Just seems kind of coincidental to me....

[fletcher4u]

I'm glad there at your house that way they leave me alone!

[VetteHeadz]

Rich,

It's the worst I've seen as well. Come to think of it I have seen no frogs either to speak of. You may be on to something. We just pull the kids in around 7:30 they are getting so thick.

[Lou G]

Holly crap, Rich!! I have never seen so many mosquitos in one place in my life!!

[9T8Vette]

Originally Posted by Lou G

Holly crap, Rich!! I have never seen so many mosquitos in one place in my life!!

I 2nd that and i live in the woods here in N.Port and haven't seen that many.Horse and deer flies is another thing i am loaded with them.

[Rich Z]

It's a shame my main computer died. You guys wouldn't believe the videos I took of the mosquito magnets nearly COVERED with mosquitoes. They literally form a cloud around those things.

I'm really curious to see if the incidence of West Nile Virus goes WAY up this year. If anyone notices any dead birds laying about, BEWARE!

Yeah, I think the yellow fly season is coming up. That should make things REAL ducky....

Washing or detailing the cars is basically OUT for the duration. No way I can be out there under the car port without being drained of blood by those pests. One thing you only do once is to swat a mosquito on the back of your neck with the hand that is in the soapy wash mitt...

[98 softtail]

Yep , those skeeters are around here as well. The closest body of water to me is about a football field away but there are plenty of mosquitos around.

[Rich Z]

Here's a video I took of the mosquitoes going after one of my Mosquito Magnets.

[gsdave]

I need to get one of those traps! That is amazing how many you are catching. They were about to carry us off around here a couple of weeks ago, but the city sprayed a few times and that seems to have slowed them down a little. Some guy was on the news the other day saying that mosquito larvae could lay dormant for years waiting for water. The last few months have had more rain than I can remember for a while. I have not seen an absense of frogs or lizards around here, so I think its just a combination of a warm winter and lots of rain.