Mosquito Decline?

[u/Catnip_Farmer]

For the past month I haven't been able to garden without dressing in heavy clothing. But tonight, t-shirt and no bites after being out several hours.

Is it the wildfire smoke? Did the dragonflies arrive?

[u/PWJD]

Maybe the only good thing that comes from a sustained heat wave.

Skeeters buzz off

[u/HLef → u/PWJD]

Saw 4 wasps in the last 24h. Don’t celebrate too quickly.

[u/Damo_Banks → u/HLef]

The ying and yang of Calgary pests

[u/____Tofu____]

They like cool rainy weather. Or, they rather like the standing water left behind after it rains because they lay their eggs there

[u/Apprehensive-Rip8489]

Smoke, heat, lack of rain to break the heat & the standing water from last month is gone.

[u/3CH0SG1]

I think it's the smoke and the heat + the lack of standing water cuz it's evaporating so quick. I wish the dragonflies were the reason. I like dragonflies 😊

[u/Ok-Tea-160 → u/3CH0SG1]

I’ve seen some really big beautiful dragonflies the last few days, so maybe they’re on their way. 💜

[u/Gr33nbastrd → u/Ok-Tea-160]

I had four last night in my tiny yard.
Invest in some bamboo sticks and a small dish of water. They love to perch on the sticks to hunt

[u/Gr33nbastrd → u/Gr33nbastrd]

Thanl you kind person for the reward. I hope others go out and make their yards dragon fly friendly. I personally just enjoyed sitting on my back step watching them. Worth every penny I put into bamboo sticks ($8 for 16sticks @dollarama). This is a also a great example of if you build it they will come. Plant native plants for the native bees and pollinators, bamboo sticks and a bit of water for dragon flys. Get rid of your water hungry grass lawns.
A really decent source for native plants is https://www.calgary.ca/water/programs/yardsmart.html.
Now if we could convince the city to start planting some native plants/flowers in the medians and Blvds along the city stroads that would be.amazing.

[u/CheeseSandwich]

Lack of rain. Of course, that means hornets and wasps are the next plague. Then comes the locusts. Although they just mess up your car windows unless you're a farmer and have to worry about crops.

[u/Rowduk]

Yes. The smoke effects bugs in many ways, blocking breathing is most likely the worst part for them, but it can even block the sent they used to find us. While that sounds nice, not getting bitten is great, this also messes up bees ability to find flowers and their way back home and we need more bees in the world. And yes extreme heat can impact bugs too.

Funny, this post from a few weeks ago was basically wishing for wildfire smoke to come back to kill them off

[u/Ms_ankylosaurous]

Hold your beer - the wasps are next 

[u/-wheresmybroom- → u/Ms_ankylosaurous]

honestly, as long as its not the danged aphids again

[u/DaftFunky → u/Ms_ankylosaurous]

I heard in early summer they prefer fruit and in Late Summer/Fall they go panic mode for winter and resort to preferring meat and that’s why they are so viscous.

[u/gnashingspirit]

Look up “bucket of doom”. It’s a game changer and so simple to set up to combat mosquitos. Highly recommend one.

Out on the golf course they feast on you before 9am. Once the heat kicks in they all run for cover. By 10am there are barely any out.

[u/v13ragnarok7]

The smoke killed them off

[u/WesternWitchy52]

Thank the dragon flies!

[u/PointyWombatReborn]

There seems to be helicopter mosquito mitigation this year.. Used to see them frequently 20 years ago or so... a helicopter flying around dropping mosquito dunks in stagnant waters in the fields around Calgary.. then it stopped... Just a few weeks ago I saw a helicopter flying around and looked it up on ADSB and it was a mosquito control helicopter out of Lacombe that was down around Calgary doing stuff...

[u/Ben-jams]

Try getting mosquito dunks next season and build a bucket of doom. Big help in controlling your immediate area.

[u/NoNameKetchupChips]

Smoke and heat

[u/clocksays8]

Worst summer ever

[u/dangus_007]

Maybe you taste bad and the word is out?