How Bad Are Mosquitoes in Alaska?
WouterUnlike temperate regions, Alaska has few mosquito habitats. Instead, mosquitoes usually hang out in tundra regions. However, they can also be found in interior forests.
Mosquitoes are cold-blooded creatures, and thus struggle in cold temperatures. They live and breed in standing water. Their eggs hatch when temperatures rise. The larvae mature in the first week of June. Some species develop in temporary pools formed by melting ice.
Some species also hibernate. The large snow mosquito, Cuseta alaskaensis, can be particularly annoyance in some areas. This mosquito lays its eggs in depressions filled with snowmelt water. It only produces a single generation per year.
Aedes genus mosquitoes are more aggressive than other species, and therefore are more likely to bite. They are also the fastest of the mosquitoes. They are more common, and so are better at biting people.
Aedes genus mosquitoes develop in marginal areas. Some mosquitoes are able to survive temperatures as low as 25 degrees below zero.
Mosquitoes live in all 50 states of the United States, and Alaska is no exception. However, Alaska’s mosquitoes are often much larger than their counterparts. This can be particularly problematic in Southeast Alaska.
Mosquitoes are most abundant in late June and early July. In the early summer, they are more aggressive. However, mosquitoes can be intense in other parts of the state.
Mosquitoes tend to breed in areas with lots of rain and lowlands. There are also lots of wetlands, which hold water from snowmelt.
