Vector control intern Abby Pickett sorts mosquitoes by type at the Salt Lake Mosquito Abatement laboratory in Salt Lake City on Thursday, May 27, 2021. (Laura Seitz/Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — If you’ve noticed more mosquitos around Utah recently, you’re not alone, rainfall and warm temperatures have caused an uptick in mosquito populations. Mosquito abatement teams are working overtime to help manage the insects but advise that it may take a couple of weeks before the population starts to dip.
Gary Hatch, the manager at the Davis County mosquito abatement, said they received over 400 calls complaining about the increased mosquito population just last week. His team has been working overtime spraying to try and get the bugs under control.
“So we’ve been doing a lot of extra spraying — especially for this time of year. Normally we’re really winding down,” Hatch said.
Hatch said rainfall and unseasonably warm temperatures have created the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes. “[It makes] for a very nice fall for everybody but not for mosquito control.”
Fortunately, the breed of mosquito that they are seeing most is not a disease-carrying breed. But, they are aggressive and bite all throughout the day.
“You’ll see it, especially going into the evening. It [a mosquito] bites more frequently, and especially right before sundown, it’ll bite very aggressively,” Hatch said.
He recommended people wear pants, long-sleeved shirts and mosquito repellent when outside in the evening.
“I would expect to be seeing these mosquitos at least for the next week because the weather is not going to slow them down at all from what we’re seeing on the forecast.”
Hatch said our temperatures need to drop at least 10 degrees to help clear out the mosquitos.