Severe Mosquito Season Predicted For Boise

Coming off of a year like we had, a severe mosquito season is not what we want to hear about. However, according to pests.org, that's exactly what we're about to be hit with next. Mosquitos are attracted to warm temperatures and standing water. For at least a part of the year, our temperatures below 50 give us much-needed relief from the bloodsuckers. The rest of the year is the mosquito's reign of terror over the Treasure Valley. 2021 expects to be much worse than usual.

The prediction by pests.org is for the entire nation but is broken down by region. Our mosquito season begins in mid-April, which is essentially now and lasts through early October. Idaho was one of the states hit hardest by the West Nile Virus in 2005. Cases of the disease are in Canyon and Ada County each year. They can be dangerous to many people in our population. That's why the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare started the "Fight the Bite" program. The program encourages people to wear repellent, remove standing water around their home, and covering skin during the hours between dusk and dawn when mosquitos are most active.

Both Ada and Canyon Counties collect mosquitos to check to see how many of them test positive for the West Nile Virus. You can see the results in the Mosquito Tracker.

As for the 2021 mosquito forecast, Boise is supposed to be hotter this summer with more rain in the National Weather Service's long-term forecast, making for the perfect storm for more mosquitos than usual.

Stock up on the bug spray, summer in Boise could really bite!