The Truth About Why Cold Weather Does Not Stop Louisiana Mosquitoes

You've heard someone say, "We didn't have much of a winter here in Louisiana. I bet the mosquitoes are gonna be awful this summer." You likely nodded in agreement, but never knew just how far from the truth that line of thinking truly is.

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The extreme cold we've recently experienced might have some thinking that Mother Nature put a smack-down on those little blood-suckers and we're in for a "mosquito free" summer. I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but that's just not in the cards for us around here.

Even In The Extreme Cold Near The Arctic Circle, Mosquitoes Are Huge Problem

As a huge fan of the former National Graphic television show, "Life Below Zero", which recently ended its twenty three season run,  I've witnessed true extreme cold.

We're talking temperatures of sixty below zero in areas at or near the Arctic Circle. And yet, in their warmer, summer months, they are constantly in battle with a tremendous mosquito population.

If you watched the video above, you witnessed incredible swarms of mosquitoes, and that was filmed in the Brooks Range of Alaska.

In that area of the world, their spring-time weather is much colder than our average winter, so freezing temps obviously have nothing to do with killing off the mosquito population.

Mosquitoes Do Die Off During The Cold, But That Doesn't Stop Them From Returning

While it's true that mosquito populations will die off during the colder months, according to mosquitonix.com, that doesn't stop a whole new batch of mosquitoes from taking over once the weather warms again.  "Mosquitoes will lay their eggs in the fall, either before dying or hibernating during the winter. Females can lay up to 300 eggs in damp locales, including standing water, plants, moist soil and containers holding as little as a half-inch of water. When the weather warms up again - and with a bit of rain - the eggs that survived the winter will hatch and start their lifecycle."

READ MORE: See How You Can Easily Beat The Winter "Blahs"

Ultimately, the disappearance of those adult mosquitoes in a cold snap has absolutely nothing to do with the potential for their summer population.

Just consider that, according to insuranks.com, no state has as many mosquitoes as Louisiana.  "Louisiana takes the cake as the most mosquito-prone state. The Bayou State’s hot and humid summers provide the perfect breeding ground for these pesky insects."

So, considering that we already have more mosquitoes than any other state and even the coldest weather only lessens the population during the cold snap, we must face the reality that in Louisiana, even with Arctic fronts like the one that recently impacted us, we're still going to be eaten alive this summer.

It's just life in Louisiana.