A new drought-resistant mosquito carries West Nile virus into Alberta

They lie in wait. We can’t see them yet, but soon enough, even in a drought year, we will feel their bite. We’re in a drought, so you’d expect the mosquito populations overall, they’re going to be lower this summer. The problem is the new kid on the block, which is Culex Pippians, which has gradually moved up north here, making it worse, says John Swan. This new breed, also called Northern House Mosquito, is a noted carrier of the West Nile virus, and it shows up hungry a lot sooner than many of us expect. It used to be the mosquitoes really that caused West Nile that are native show up in June, late June, July. This thing is showing up in May. These things will mature in a week from an egg to an adult that will be bite you. Mosquitoes become carriers of West Nile virus from biting infected birds. The city says it’s too soon to know just how bad the situation will be this year. We haven’t actually started our mosquito monitoring program quite yet here in Calgary, so over the next couple weeks we’ll start to do that and then we’ll get a better sense of what numbers we will have this year. Alberta Health statistics reveal one in five who become infected with the virus. And suffer severe effects. Usually the worst outcomes are for those over the age of 50. I know someone that had it that actually had to retire because neurologically. They could barely function. It can be very dangerous, the neurological effects, it can even kill people at the same time other people will get it and it’s just a cold, Swan says. It appears the Northern house mosquito population is on the rise in Alberta and it seems to thrive in urban settings. Lighter colors. Try to avoid dawn and dusk if possible. Wear a repellent and it usually should contain either DEET or a keratin. And Newton says take care. Mosquitoes don’t move into your yard. It’s removing all of the shallow, stagnant water and also regularly going out to empty bird baths, empty flower pots, anything that could be collecting rain water. Doug Mason, Global News.