HOUSTON — If you like looking for silver linings when disaster strikes, you might be hoping this winter storm means less mosquitoes. But unfortunately, that’s not how mosquitoes work. Let’s connect the dots.
Can’t function in cold temperatures
You have probably heard the old wives tale that cold kills mosquitoes but that is not really true. The flying blood suckers do become lethargic when temps reach 60 degrees or below, and they can’t really function when it gets lower than 50 degrees. Some females will hibernate when the first frost hits and others do die, but they have already left behind a new generation of pests.
Eggs hibernate, survive years
Mosquito eggs are not killed off by cold, instead they hibernate like their moms. In fact, research has show that mosquito eggs can survive in this hibernation for years, waiting for the perfect conditions to come into the world.
Survived 210 million years
And that’s the real story of mosquitoes. They are survivors. They have been around for about 210 million years, which means they have survived at least one ice age. Some of the most frightening examples live in Alaska and the artic. So while they may be annoying, they are impressive.