Summer not only consists of sun and delicious bathing temperatures, it is also high season for many insects, especially mosquitoes. This year, a particularly large number of mosquitoes are reported in the north, something Kai Emil Anti has learned about in his job as a tourist guide in Sapmi Park in Karasjok. It’s not just Kai Emil who is bothered by mosquitoes. – The tourists think there are a lot of insects here. They are curious and ask if it is common for there to be as many mosquitoes as there are this year. NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE: Kai Emil Anti says he can not remember having experienced so many mosquitoes before. Photo: Henrik Turi / news Kai Emil was born and raised in Karasjok, and can not remember that there have ever been so many mosquitoes in the area as this year. – There have been extremely many mosquitoes this year. I do not remember ever having so much. To tolerate mosquitoes at work, he has gained some experience. He explains that it is important to dress well and lubricate yourself abundantly with mosquito repellent to avoid being “eaten up”. Practical with a lot of mosquitoes in the north Biologist Paul Eric Aspholm at NIBIO Svanhovd confirms Antis’ claim that there are more mosquitoes this year. The reason for that may have something to do with the weather. – There are more mosquitoes and gnats this year than in many years, and the reason for this may be that it is warmer this year than it has been before. The biologist believes that part of the reason why there are so many mosquitoes this year is the record high heat we have had in the north. UNUSUAL HEAT: Biologist Paul Eric Aspholm says that the unusually hot June weather in the north may be the reason why there are so many mosquitoes. Photo: Ksenia Novikova / news – Different species of mosquitoes have different preferences for temperature, etc. When it is hot, they develop the eggs quite quickly. According to Aspholm, the extreme amount of mosquitoes also has positive sides. – Mosquitoes are food for birds and fish, they do a lot for the ecosystem. They also clean ponds of bacteria so other types of insects and ordanismerkan live there. Large differences between north and south Further south, on the other hand, the mosquito situation is completely different according to Svein Eldar Wrånes, associate professor of biology at the University of Agder. – Last night I was lying in the open air in inner villages in Agder. I did not experience a single mosquito during the whole night. Wrånes thinks little rain is the explanation. – An important reason why the mosquito has had problems with recruitment is that it has not had any place to hatch. Streams, rivers, ponds and puddles have mostly been dry, he says. LITTLE MOSQUITOES: Svein Eldar Wrånes, Associate Professor of Biology at the University of Agder, believes that little precipitation is the reason why there are few mosquitoes this year. Photo: Sørlandsavdelinga / Norwegian Zoological Society Wrånes thinks it will take some rain for the situation to change in the south. He says that mosquitoes need more or less permanent puddles to hatch. However, he believes there is no reason to fear that the mosquitoes will disappear. – It will probably come back in full. We probably get enough of mosquitoes.
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Extreme numbers of mosquitoes in the north, further south you wonder where the mosquitoes go – news Sápmi
