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A dry April month could result in fewer mosquitoes this summer, a b. C. says the expert.
Last year, the pests were completely destroyed after more than a month of flooding, followed by extreme heat.
Dirk Lewis, dubbed the "mosquito type" of Morrow BioScience, a Rossland-based "mosquito management" company, told Black Press Media that it all depended on water levels this month.
"It looks like they could arrive earlier, but there could also be a drop in floods compared to last year," Lewis said.
Female mosquitoes seek to lay their eggs in a soil that is protected from risk but subject to flooding, such as near rivers and streams.
They average about 1,000 eggs in a lifetime. Eggs can not hatch until they are wet. Thus, each small egg can remain dormant for 10 years, waiting for ideal conditions.
With floodwaters reaching historic levels last year, it was the perfect storm to allow many pesky mordants to hatch.
This season, the first batch of mosquitoes is fresh out of winter melting, said Lewis.
"During warming, they are looking for a blood meal to be able to lay their eggs," he said. "The main sources of trouble for barbecues later in the summer season will all be floodwaters."
A minimal flood therefore means less eggs. This, combined with the warm weather, will accelerate their disappearance.
"It looks like it will be a better year than last year.
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