Personal blog about states
Alaska has 35 species of mosquito, and all but a few will be more than happy to nibble on humans. But mosquitoes are only really an issue for Alaska visitors from the second week in June to the last week in July , and even then, they’re not nearly as bad as myth would have it.
Mosquitoes are most prevalent in the open tundra of Interior and Far North Alaska , densely forested woods, and bogs or marshes. In the more commonly traveled areas of Alaska , several environmental factors help keep mosquitoes at bay. First, there aren’t mosquitoes all summer long.
Like many hibernating insects, overwintering mosquitoes depend on supercooling, a process by which an animal has the ability to rid its body fluids of impurities that would trigger the formation of ice. Supercooling allows the mosquito to cool down below 32 degrees Fahrenheit without its cell walls bursting.
When is the best month to visit Alaska? You can’t go wrong visiting Alaska anytime between May 10 and September 15. The days are long, nature is in full bloom, and the air is alive with energy. But, for the absolute best time to visit Alaska, shoot for June 15 to July 15.
The best time to whale watch is from April to November, when approximately 600 humpbacks inhabit the waters of the northern Inside Passage. Whale watching tours are offered in Juneau and near Glacier Bay.
A: August is always milder than July in terms of bugs. We tend to get frosty nights as early as the end of July, and that kills off a lot of the bugs. By the way, black flies aren’t that much of an issue here anyway.
While the pesky insects can be found throughout the United States, these are the U.S. cities with the most rampant mosquito populations. Washington, D.C. New York , New York . Chicago, Illinois. Dallas-Ft. Detroit, Michigan. 8/11. Charlotte, North Carolina. 9/11. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 10/11. Miami, Florida . 11/11.
August
Alaska is famous for its complete absence of snakes , something most people – especially people from venomous snake country – fully appreciate. There are no lizards, freshwater turtles, or snakes in Alaska . The only reptiles in Alaska are rare sightings of sea turtles.
Ticks can come to Alaska on dogs, and on farm animals like cows and horses. Dog, deer and moose ticks aren’t native to Alaska , but could survive here if introduced. There is one native species, generally found on squirrels and hares.
Alaska’s northern lights season is between mid-September and late April, peaking in March, though it’s a season defined more by its long, dark nights than by solar activity.
There is no limit to the number of mosquito bites one of the insects can inflict. A female mosquito will continue to bite and feed on blood until she is full. After they have consumed enough blood, the mosquito will rest for a couple of days (usually between 2-3) before laying her eggs.
Antarctica
Alaska mosquitoes , after all, don’t carry malaria or dengue fever, diseases that are borne by the same mosquitoes that can spread Zika.