Calgary mosquito numbers low now, but could spike in July heat

Calgary's mosquito populations are running lower than usual this season, but residents shouldn't expect relief once temperatures climb, according to the city's pest management team.

Alex Coker, integrated pest management technician with the city, said recent rainy weather and cooler spring temperatures have kept mosquito numbers in their traps below average. Mosquitoes thrive in warm, damp areas like stagnant water and high-vegetation zones.

"A bad mosquito season is if we have lots of really heavy rainfall followed by warm temperatures," Coker said. "As soon as things start to heat up, we'll start to see those adults being active."

Calgary is home to more than 40 mosquito species, some of which can carry viruses that harm people and animals. The city recommends residents wear bug spray, wear full-length clothing, and drain standing water — particularly items like bird baths, rain barrels, and overflowing flower pots that attract invasive species.

The city and University of Calgary are also running "Skeeter Seekers," a citizen-led research project asking residents to collect mosquito samples at several parks including Bowness Park, the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, Prairie Winds Park, and Ralph Klein Park. The project focuses on monitoring Culex pipiens, an invasive species that arrived in Edmonton in 2018 and can carry West Nile Virus. Although only 20 per cent of infected people show symptoms, the virus can cause serious neurological effects.