Mosquito Habitats - Springtime

As summer nears and temperatures begin to rise throughout the Valley, water from snowmelt can create rearing habitat for larval mosquitoes. The habitat requirements for larval mosquitoes vary across species and mosquitoes have learned to take advantage of all different types of habitat. Some mosquito species prefer ephemeral habitats, such as pooling snowmelt, others require permanent water sources like grassy shallow pond edges. In the spring, our two biggest sources of mosquito habitat are snowmelt pools and water springing up as the water table rises from melting snowpack.  

In spring when temperatures are cooler, mosquito larvae take longer to develop into adults. So, temporary pools are only suitable if they persist for the duration of larval development. Considering that water evaporates quickly during dry time periods in Teton County, and that mosquito development is slower, temporary pools generally need to last for at least two weeks this time of year. 

If you think mosquitoes are breeding on your property, take a quick walk around. Do you have standing water? Is that water at least two inches deep? Is it likely to remain for 1 – 2 weeks? If the answer to all these questions is yes, you may want to reach out to us.  

Requesting mosquito surveillance can be done quickly by filling out a form under the Contact Us tab at our website. You can also call the office at 307-733-8419. If you have not filled out a permission form, please take a moment to submit one through our website so we can conduct surveillance and provide treatment as needed.