In temperate climates, mosquitoes are generally inactive during the winter because temperatures are too cold, but as climate change makes winters shorter and warmer, scientists want to know how these shifts might affect mosquito activity. A new UF study shows that mosquitoes can adjust to rapid changes in temperature, indicating that mosquitoes normally dormant during winter may become active year-round due to climate change.
The study’s authors conducted experiments with mosquitoes collected in and around Gainesville, a North Central Florida city on the dividing line between subtropical and temperate climates. The researchers say that insights from this study can help communities better prepare for the impacts of climate change as they relate to mosquitoes, which spread diseases that affect humans and animals.
You can read more on this study on Samantha Murray's UF/IFAS blog post.
