Calgarians forecast to experience a ‘typical’ mosquito season this summer

Calgary's mosquito population is expected to follow a typical seasonal pattern this summer, according to city control experts. While acknowledging the difficulty in precise prediction, current sampling and trap data show lower numbers of mosquitoes than usual. Alex Coker, an integrated pest management technician with the City of Calgary, noted that recent cool temperatures following heavy early June rainfall have impacted adult mosquito activity.

"We’re kind of waiting for things to warm up to see more adult activity," Coker stated. He anticipates that mosquito numbers will likely peak in mid-July, consistent with previous years. Both the city and researchers at the University of Calgary are monitoring mosquito populations. Current trap counts for larvae and pupae are running at about half the numbers seen in a typical year, with fewer than 50 mosquitoes per trap on average, compared to around 100 in previous seasons.

The city is home to approximately 30 mosquito species, including the northern house mosquito (Culex pipiens), an invasive species first detected in Edmonton in 2018 and Calgary in 2022. This species, native to Africa, Asia, and Europe, is known to carry West Nile Virus.

John Soghigian, an assistant professor at the University of Calgary studying mosquito populations, explained that most people infected with West Nile Virus experience no symptoms. However, a small percentage can develop flu-like symptoms, and an even smaller group may suffer from severe brain swelling and encephalitis. While West Nile Virus cases are reported annually in Alberta, it remains unclear if the northern house mosquito is altering the virus's dynamics in Calgary.

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We’re kind of waiting for things to warm up to see more adult activity.