Yes, higher humidity along the coast helps mosquitoes survive longer and stay active, and the salt marshes and tidal areas near the shore add their own aggressive species. Together they make shoreline properties in New Haven and Fairfield County buggier than spots farther inland.
If the coast feels worse for mosquitoes than where you grew up inland, it’s not in your head. And the water has a lot to do with why.
Mosquitoes like it humid, because the alternative, to them, is much worse. Mosquitoes lose body moisture quickly and dry out in the hot sun. The damp air off Long Island Sound keeps the vegetation and shaded ground damp, which lets adult mosquitoes live longer and keeps their eggs and larvae from drying out. More survivors at every stage means more mosquitoes looking for a meal.
It also doesn’t help that the coast is home to the (in)famous salt marsh mosquito. These particularly nasty mosquitoes can breed in the tidal marshes and brackish pools along the shoreline. It’s there that they hatch in big broods after high tides and heavy rain. They can also fly for miles at a time, unlike most mosquitoes. So even a property set well back from the water can take a hit from mosquitoes that started life in a marsh you can’t see.
To add insult to injury, coastal areas hold warmth longer into the fall. This means the mosquito season lasts longer than it otherwise would inland.
Even with the elements working against you, you’re not powerless. Anything you can do to reduce mosquito breeding on your own property will help. Empty the usual standing water around the house, keep vegetation from getting overgrown and damp, and treat the foliage where mosquitoes rest.
If you're tired of paying the coastal bug tax for your spot near the Sound, Mosquito Squad of New Haven & Fairfield County can help. Mosquito Squad treats the foliage where mosquitoes rest so the ones drifting in from the marshes meet a barrier, helping protect your yard with up to 90% reduction in mosquito activity on a 21-day cycle.
