Why do I feel like there are fewer mosquitoes this year? Is it because of the hot weather? The truth is…

Many people feel that there are fewer mosquitoes this year, and they are not bitten as much as in previous summers. Some people also say that the mosquitoes are "killed by the heat". Is this true? In fact, in some places, there are more mosquitoes this summer than in previous years!

Beijing:

According to the monitoring of mosquito density in the whole city by the Disinfection and Pest Control Institute of Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the mosquito density this year has actually increased rather than decreased compared with the same period last year .

In particular, Beijing experienced multiple rainfall events in early June this year, creating environmental conditions that were favorable for mosquito breeding. [1]

Shanghai:

Liu Hongxia, head of the vector control department and chief physician at the Shanghai Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said, "According to Shanghai's monitoring results, the mosquito density from March to June this year has increased compared with previous years, and the increase in mosquito density in June is still larger than in May."

According to the 2023 national mosquito forecast map, Tibet, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hunan and other places have recently entered a mosquito-prone season. [2]

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Why do I feel like there are fewer mosquitoes?

In fact, mosquitoes have become lazy.

Recently, some citizens feel that there are fewer mosquitoes this year. In fact, the reason is that the probability of being bitten by mosquitoes in daily life has decreased, but this does not mean that the density of mosquitoes has decreased. This phenomenon occurs because when the temperature is relatively high, especially when it exceeds the temperature conditions suitable for mosquitoes to move, there will be a phenomenon of "fewer mosquito bites".

Generally speaking, mosquitoes are most active and bite people between 20℃ and 35℃ . Outside this temperature range, if the temperature is too high or too low, mosquitoes will be affected and restricted to a certain extent, and their activity will be significantly reduced, causing the frequency of mosquito bites to decrease accordingly. [1]

Dr. Liu Hongxia said that the first reason why people feel that there are fewer mosquitoes is that there is less rainfall and higher temperatures, which results in fewer water bodies that are prone to breeding mosquitoes . Since mosquitoes cannot breed without water bodies, the decrease in stagnant water leads to a decrease in the number of mosquitoes. At the same time, high temperatures may also affect the activity of mosquitoes . In other words, mosquitoes have become "lazier." Secondly, because the weather is too hot, people spend less time outdoors , or they go out at a time that is not the peak time for mosquitoes to be active during the day, so they may feel that there are fewer mosquitoes. [2]

Once the high temperature weather conditions are lifted, the high density of mosquitoes will still cause certain biting and harassment to people. Everyone still needs to do a good job of mosquito prevention. [1]

Be careful with this kind of mosquito

Seek medical attention promptly if you have a fever or headache

Dr. Liu Hongxia specifically reminded that more people are traveling abroad during the summer vacation. Currently, dengue fever is prevalent in many regions such as Southeast Asia and South America. People should take mosquito repellent measures when traveling abroad and pay close attention to changes in their health after returning home. [3]

To prevent mosquito bites, remember to do the following:

1. You can reduce mosquito bites by taking frequent baths and using less perfume.

2. When doing outdoor sports, try to wear light-colored, loose-fitting long-sleeved clothes. In the summer, you should also wear socks when going out to prevent mosquito bites.

3. When you are in green areas or forests during the day, you can apply repellent on exposed skin to prevent mosquito bites.

4. If you are bitten by mosquitoes, do not scratch to prevent skin infection. You can apply anti-itch products to relieve the pain.

5. If you are traveling to areas where mosquito-borne infectious diseases (dengue fever, malaria, Zika virus disease, etc.) are prevalent, you must take anti-mosquito measures, such as wearing long-sleeved clothing and applying mosquito repellent to exposed parts of your body. If you feel unwell and have symptoms such as fever, headache, joint pain, etc., you should seek medical attention immediately and inform the doctor of your travel history and history of mosquito bites. [2]

This article is compiled from:

[1] 2023-07-14 Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention, “Mosquitoes are dying of heat, is this true?” (Liu Meide, Disinfection Department, Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention)

[2] 2023-07-18 People’s Daily Health Client “Many places have entered the peak mosquito season this summer, but you don’t feel it? Experts explain” (Reporter Yang Xiaolu of People’s Daily Health Client)

[3] 2023-07-18 Xinmin Evening News “Attention! The density of mosquitoes in Shanghai will reach its peak throughout the year. Be especially careful when you see this kind of mosquito”

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Source: Health Times

Editor: Yang Yaping

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