Posted on 08/02/2016 11:13:19 AM PDT by John Conlin
Where have all the mosquitoes gone?
What is the mosquito population in your neck-of-the-woods?
OK all you conspiracy buffs put on your tin-foil hats and let’s take a mental stroll. This entire summer I have noted a surprising decrease in the number of mosquitoes. My parents live right along the South Platte and their pasture (birthplace every spring of TENS OF THOUSANDS of tadpoles) was filled with water most of the spring. I’ve known the area well for over 50 years.
They always have mosquitoes. LOTS of mosquitoes. And with this spring, normally the mosquito population would be way above average (and trust me, average is pretty bad).
Yet this summer the mosquito population is WAY down. Way down. I live in a SW suburb of Denver… mosquito population WAY down. You can sit out all evening and never be bothered by even a single one.
So what natural process could be driving this? Or perhaps it is not a natural process?
Perhaps the government is far more concerned about the Zika virus than they are letting on? Perhaps the government has taken pro-active measures in an attempt to minimize the spread of Zika?
When the West Nile virus first popped up, some hypothesized it was a test done by some nefarious player to see how a mosquito-borne virus would/could spread and potentially be used as a weapon.
So one would hope the government would have some type of plan(s) in place to deal with a mosquito-borne virus that presented a threat to the population of the US.
Did the government implement one of these plans in an attempt to control/limit the Zika transmission across the country? If they can keep the lid on it that good ol’ thing called winter will come along and put a halt to it for at least a number of months.
They would of course have to do this in secrecy. There is no way they could do so out in the open. Here in Colorado you see this type of thing with our good friend the prairie dog. If you have the misfortune of needing to get rid of a town of prairie dogs, good luck. You do so late at night (and cities/counties do this quite often) and the town just isn’t there the next day.
Otherwise you will end up fighting a small but zealous band of prairie dog supporters who will make your life miserable. In the People’s Republic of Boulder, they spend huge amounts of money to re-locate prairie dogs… all while decrying the lack of funds for schools, roads, etc. It is also always lost on them that there is already a functioning eco-system wherever they plan to dump the prairie dogs; their actions causing tremendous disruption. But of course they won’t be around to see this and they can feel good about themselves because of what wonderful people they are via “saving” these specific prairie dogs.
So the feds would have no choice but to do this on the sly.
So are the feds actively suppressing the mosquito population to both slow the spread of Zika and to learn about the effectiveness of such actions in preparation for an attack by a weaponized mosquito-borne virus?
But before we can take off our tin-foil hats, we need as Sherlock Holmes would say… more data.
So wherever you might live… how would you rate the mosquito population in your area versus historical numbers and what you might expect?
I have no idea whether the above is true or whether I even believe it… I just know there is a truly amazing decrease in our mosquito population in a year with a very wet spring. That ain’t the way it works here in Colorado.
It is healthy and thriving here.
A mosquito attempted to bite obama but gave up after about 10 minutes.
I’ll throw in a shipload of yellow jackets as a bonus
Mosquito population up here in the woods of NH is about one-tenth what it was last year.
Pretty normal amount (maybe even a little more) here in southwest Montana.
South Jersey and the Poconos.Seems like the population has dropped bout 75% this year.Strawberry flies and dragon flies in abundance however
Insect populations are very fluid. Factors being food, water, chemicals, temps, predators, human activity. Count the little dead bodies mashed on your windshield and multiply by the millions of cars on the road.
All of those are doing fine here just like the mosquitoes.
They all moved to Wisconsin.
I don’t believe they’ve found a single mosquito in Florida that tests positive for the virus.
I thought Zika was caused by this:
https://www.google.com/search?safe=off&q=zika+monsanto
You beat me to it, Mom :)
Just north of Minneapolis/St. Paul here. LOTS of mosquitoes, in case anyone wants some.
Mosquitoes are everywhere. I’m scratching as I type.
Juneau has some nice mosquitoes.
So does Turkey.
Ft. Polk sucks. I had to pontificate...
5.56mm
There’s not a flicker of light from a firefly or a hummm by a honey bee in my yard. It is totally organic too.
You will come in looking like you have chicken pox.
Eastern PA. Haven’t seen any this year.
I’ve driven home well after dark with nary a smashed bug on the grill.
Mosquito populations are dependent on rainfall and the subsequent pooling of water in which to lay their eggs. Little rainfall, fewer mosquitos......
He had to get in line behind all the flies...and just got discouraged.
Come to think of it, I just ask my husband if he’s seen very many. We usually have a lot. He said he hadn’t and he’s out everyday in the backyard.
Hmmm
Maybe in your part of the woods in NH.
In my part of the woods (Coos County) seems like the normal amount.
And over in Maine during the New England Forest Rally (Richardson Lake area) the deer flies were in a huge quantity.
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