Whether you're a fan of cold weather or not, we can all rejoice that at the very least colder temperatures mean mosquito season is coming to an end, right?
Unfortunately, maybe not. As it turns out, "mosquito season" is pretty much year-round in San Antonio.
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While some species of mosquitoes go dormant after a single cold snap, many in our area do not because they have adapted to our climate.
Biology professor at Texas A&M San Antonio, Megan Wise de Valdez M.S., Ph.D., said we won't see the numbers drop until we have a longer stretch of cold weather. And even then, they'll come right back when the temperatures warm up.
That's not welcomed news, especially after the brutal blood-sucking we've endured over the last couple months when the rainy, warm weather made for the perfect breeding conditions for mosquitoes.
"The eggs of mosquitoes can survive dry weather, and so when the rain comes all of the eggs that have been 'waiting' hatch," Wise de Valdez said. "Mosquitoes lay their eggs where flooding occurs. Since we had so much rain, those eggs were flooded and many emerged all at once."
Unfortunately mosquitoes are survivors.
"Some mosquito species have very strong eggs that can survive long periods of drying and cold temperatures. When the temperature warms up and containers fill with water, the eggs hatch," Wise de Valdez said.
"Other mosquitoes survive over the winter as adults, but usually only the females. The females will mate then rest in a safe place until the weather warms. As soon as it is warm enough she will seek a blood meal, which triggers the finalization of the fertilization process and she can develop the eggs she's been holding onto all winter," Wise de Valdez said.
So while this week's cold snap may bring some temporary relief, it's always a good idea to dump out any standing water that may accumulate in containers in your yard. Oh, and keep that mosquito spray handy.