A Perfect Storm. Weather’s Direct Impact on the Onslaught of Mosquitoes in the Twin Cities

We wait for it all winter and for most of the spring. And when the rain lets up, and those summer temperatures finally arrive we rejoice and head outdoors to soak up every minute of it. But we are not alone. The mosquitoes have been patiently waiting for the weather to improve too! When the spring is wet and long, the arrival of the heat means the mosquito population will be booming.

Mosquitoes’ Favorite Weather

Mosquitoes love four things:

1. Delicious plant nectar.

Mosquitoes don’t feed on blood as their chosen food source. They actually drink plant nectars. Male mosquitoes feed on plant nectar exclusively.

2. Blood for nourishing egg development.

Female mosquitoes are the nuisance buzzing in your ear and leaving you with itchy, red welts. Females eat blood to get the proper nourishment to develop eggs for creating the next generation of annoying biting blood-suckers.

3. Standing water to lay those eggs.

The mosquito has a four-stage life-cycle, three of which are spent in the water! Female mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water where those eggs hatch into larva and then develop into pupa, before emerging as flying adult mosquitoes.

4. Hot weather.

Mosquitoes are cold-blooded, which means they cannot keep their body temperature regulated. They count on perfect mosquito weather to thrive. When temperatures in Minneapolis finally reach the 80s and touch 90, mosquitoes become more active, and their development from eggs to adult is faster!

In a year when rainfall is above average, leaving plenty of standing water, the moment those summer temperatures arrive is the precise moment the mosquitoes are on the hunt in massive quantities. Add to the summer heat, regular summer storms bringing even more water and well – now you have yourself the perfect storm, mosquito storm that is!

Did you know that on average, only 65 days per year hit 80 degrees or above in Minneapolis? That is just over two months of the best summer weather for fishing, boating, beaching, and outdoor living. Don’t spend one minute of that avoiding the buzzing mosquitoes from indoors. Call Mosquito Squad of the Twin Cities today to schedule your mosquito control barrier protection. Our service eliminates up to 90% of mosquitoes on your property for up to three weeks!