Believe it or not, mosquito season may be here already, depending on where you live. That's right. Mosquitoes start becoming active as soon as temperatures reach a consistent 50 degrees or above.
What Do Mosquitoes Do When Temperatures Rise?
When temperatures rise, mosquitoes become active in two different forms. First, female mosquitoes that hibernated over the winter emerge from their dormant state and come out of holes in the ground and their other hiding places.
Second, eggs laid in the fall before it got too cold, in clusters as large as 300 eggs, swiftly move through their life cycles from larvae to pupae to adult mosquitoes. They can make this transition very fast, some in only a few days, but it depends on the species and how warm it is. In general, the warmer it is, the faster the process goes.
When Does Mosquito Season Begin Where You Live?
Mosquito season in the U.S. can begin as early as February in the hottest parts of the country or as late as May in the coldest. Mosquito season can be divided into five zones. Keep in mind that the exact time the season begins can vary from year to year based on how early it gets (and stays) warm.
Zone 1 - Early February - This zone includes the most southern parts of U.S. like the lower half of Texas and Florida and areas of Louisiana on or near the Gulf of Mexico.
Zone 2 - Early March - This zone includes the rest of Florida, Texas and Louisiana and the adjacent states of South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, New Mexico, Arizona and the southern regions of California, Oklahoma and Arkansas.
Zone 3 - Early April - This zone stretches across the country north to the top of California, and includes Nevada, Utah Colorado, Kansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, and most of Virginia, West Virginia, and Missouri, the lower half of Illinois and Indiana, the southernmost parts of Ohio, and the northernmost parts of Oklahoma and Arkansas.
Zone 4 - Late April - This region includes the southern two-thirds of Oregon, Wyoming and Iowa, the lower half of Idaho, most of Nebraska, the northern half of Illinois and Indiana, central and northern parts of Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Washington, D.C., all but the northernmost parts of Connecticut and Rhode Island, and the rest of West Virginia and Virginia, and the most southern parts of South Dakota, Michigan and New York.
Zone 5 - Early May - This zone stretches across the top of the continental U.S., encompassing all the states and parts of states not already mentioned. These include Washington, Montana, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and the northernmost part of Oregon, the top half of Idaho, North Dakota and most of South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the rest of Michigan, New York, and Connecticut.
Want to Stay Ahead of Mosquito Season?
If you want to deal with mosquitoes before they become a problem in your area, Patio Patrol can help. Visit Patio Patrol to get a jump on the buzz before the bites!
