When do mosquitoes start coming out?

[thermal]

I'm doing an Alaska cruise early May, and am thinking ahead re: mosquitoes.  What time of year do they start being problematic?  Are they commonplace in town centers, or only once you get out for hikes? 

 

Thank you

[quack1]

I don't recall them being a problem in SE Alaska.  Denali is another story.

[diesel1973]

Of course they seem to be worse in the heavily wooded areas.

[wolfie11]

3 hours ago, thermal said:

I'm doing an Alaska cruise early May, and am thinking ahead re: mosquitoes.  What time of year do they start being problematic?  Are they commonplace in town centers, or only once you get out for hikes? 

 

Thank you

The big ones overwinter under the snow and come out before the snow is even melted.  The small, fast ones overwinter as eggs or larvae and become active as the water warms up.  I have never had a problem with mosquitos in SE Alaska with a few exceptions (Glacier Point).  They don't breed in salt water, so unless you are hiking in marshy or wet areas away from the water, they shouldn't be a problem.  Black flies, white sox, no seeums, and "moose" flies are a different story.  

[Cbtours]

Just now, wolfie11 said:

The big ones overwinter under the snow and come out before the snow is even melted.  The small, fast ones overwinter as eggs or larvae and become active as the water warms up.  I have never had a problem with mosquitos in SE Alaska with a few exceptions (Glacier Point).  They don't breed in salt water, so unless you are hiking in marshy or wet areas away from the water, they shouldn't be a problem.  Black flies, white sox, no seeums, and "moose" flies are a different story.  

And where do the “different story” flies frequent and when????

[Northern Aurora]

While mosquitos can be intense in the Wonder Lake area of Denali (which is not accessible until the Pretty Rocks area of the single road into the park is mitigated) mosquitos are rarely an issue in DNP unless someone is actually hiking in a dense forest area.

 

I've never had an issue in SE Alaska in areas frequented by the cruise industry.

[AKStafford]

I killed one the other night here in Southcentral Alaska.