View Full Version : No Mosquitoes in Smokies-why and where else?
maxpatch67
02-20-2009, 16:46
I've been real curious over the years about why there aren't any mosquitoes in the smoky mountains. I don't know why. The environment seems perfect. Anyone know why this is? Does this extend up the AT very far North? It is so nice and I love hiking there and was wanting to know why and how that can be. Anyone have firsthand or scientific knowledge on this?
Speer Carrier
02-20-2009, 16:55
I think elevation may have something to do with it.
I've never been there in the middle of the summer. Are there a lot of dragonflies and bats around? They're natural predators. My guess would be the high elevation, cooler temperatures than the valleys, and lack of water sources would be the reason. I've never had mosquito problems in the Mt. Rogers area in the summer, and I would say it's for similar reasons. Also, possibly the high number of pine trees? Mosquitoes can lay their eggs in moist soil, but maybe not in a acidic-soil pine forest. I'm not an ecologist, just brainstorming.
theinfamousj
02-20-2009, 17:17
I've never been there in the middle of the summer.
I have.
Are there a lot of dragonflies and bats around? They're natural predators.
Now that you mention it, there did seem to be a large number of dragon flies. I didn't see any bats, but then again I tend to sleep when the sun goes down.
Also, possibly the high number of pine trees? Mosquitoes can lay their eggs in moist soil, but maybe not in a acidic-soil pine forest.
That is a good point!
Tell me, do salamanders eat mosquitoes? Because there are a lot of those in the Smokies, too.
maxpatch67
02-20-2009, 17:51
Well, I don't think its elevation. Been to the Wind Rivers in Wyoming? HIGH elevation and TONS of mosquitoes. You're other ideas could be right about forest type? I've gotta know. There are some bats there, but not an extraordinary amount. Anyone with scientific knowledge on it? And how far does this extend up the range?
Well, I don't think its elevation. Been to the Wind Rivers in Wyoming? HIGH elevation and TONS of mosquitoes. You're other ideas could be right about forest type? I've gotta know. There are some bats there, but not an extraordinary amount. Anyone with scientific knowledge on it? And how far does this extend up the range?
Haha - set out to do a 4 day in the High Uintas (mostly over 10K) in NE Utah. After the first night, we turned around because everytime you took a breath, you swallowed 5 of those blood-suckers. It was awful.
But all my experiences in the smokies have been mosquito free for the most part. Interesting topic.
maxpatch67
02-20-2009, 18:06
When I bring people with me for the first time, they won't believe me and insist on bring repellant. I never have an explanation for not having mosquitoes in the mountains there.
RadioFreq
02-20-2009, 18:11
When I bring people with me for the first time, they won't believe me and insist on bring repellant. I never have an explanation for not having mosquitoes in the mountains there.
Perhaps it is an over-abundance of very funky smelling thru hikers.
So funky that even the mosquitoes turn up their noses. :D
bikerscars
02-20-2009, 18:13
great...
now you jinxed us:D
Slo-go'en
02-20-2009, 18:14
Also, possibly the high number of pine trees?
There are pleanty of pine trees up north here and pleanty of sketers to go with them. Sketers breed in stagnet water, which you don't see all that much of in the Smokies, at least the part the trial goes through.
On one trip to the Candian Rockies, we had lots of warm weather and the sketers were thick! We had to put our full gortex suit on to cook dinner, as that was the only thing they couldn't bite through! And then get into the tent real quick.
I don't think there is enough standing water, such as lakes or ponds. There is a lot of water in the park. It's just that it's all pretty fast moving streams.
RevoRunner
02-20-2009, 20:01
I've been to the Cohutta Wilderness in N.GA a bunch the past 2 years and never had a bite. Something about the region maybe?
Ashepabst
02-20-2009, 20:22
I've been real curious over the years about why there aren't any mosquitoes in the smoky mountains. I don't know why. The environment seems perfect. Anyone know why this is? Does this extend up the AT very far North? It is so nice and I love hiking there and was wanting to know why and how that can be. Anyone have firsthand or scientific knowledge on this?
yup... never had a problem with squitos in the park.
...just those pesky buggers that swarm your head in the summer time. and that's gettin off so easy! considering...
Pokey2006
02-20-2009, 20:27
My guess is the mosquitoes in the south aren't as voracious as you might expect because their "season" is longer. Mosquitoes in Alaska are some of the worst, mainly because they don't have long to live, so they have to feed as much as possible before they die. Mosquitoes in the Smokys have a longer life span, so they don't need to be as aggressive. Therefore, you don't notice them as much.
Moving down south from New England, so many people have told me that the mosquitoes here can be bad. However, none of them have ever been to NH in the summer...they don't know bad mosquitoes from Adam!
Pokey2006
02-20-2009, 20:28
Oh, and wind could be a factor. If you're up on top of the ridge where a good breeze is blowing, you won't find any mosquitoes.
maxpatch67
02-21-2009, 02:15
Great possibilities, everyone, but I'm not convinced yet and still searching. Any experts out there???? Bugologists????? :)
Tennessee Viking
02-21-2009, 03:18
Because they are all attacking the tourists down in Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg.
Or too much smog from Knoxville.
Pedaling Fool
02-21-2009, 08:31
I don't know the answer, but it can't be the pine trees. I've camped in pine forest, nothing but pines, and remember being chased in my tent by some of the most aggressive mosquitoes I've ever seen.
I’ve also cleaned out gutters at my mom’s house with nothing but pine needles and being attacked by mosquitoes coming out of the gutter. I don’t think the high acid content of the pine bothers them in the least, they may even thrive in the stuff.
bikerscars
02-21-2009, 09:05
yeah i agree that pines at best have no effect
one of new jersey's state bird (the mosquito) favorite haunts are the pine barrens...good supply of bats and dragonflies too
maybe there's some sort of anti-mosquito spraying program we are not aware of
maybe we're just lucky:)
Mosquitos are bothered by the Smoke! :D
gollwoods
02-21-2009, 09:19
I read somwhere it is the lack of still water,
Bats, dragonflys, pine trees, smoke, and tourists are all great possibilities. But as any one thought of the fact that mosquitos have problems entering the park because of the complicated collection system posted at the campground entrance. The self-registration application requirements, filling out the fee collection envelope and inserting the required payment into the envelope, and depositing the envelope in the security
container at the registration station is too confusing for them. They have a hard time figuring out if they started 50 miles away from the park.
Most mosquitos will travel around the park and hitch a ride with the dogs that are being shuttle. As long as we have this government bureaucracy on allowing over nights stays in the GSNP we will not find any mosquitoes in the park. Now if we could do something about the Boy Scouts.
SGT Rock
02-21-2009, 09:44
No, they cannot get back-country reservations.
Homer&Marje
02-21-2009, 10:03
Perhaps it is an over-abundance of very funky smelling thru hikers.
So funky that even the mosquitoes turn up their noses. :D
Doesn't explain the skeeters from Mass to Maine. Although admittedly black flies I believe are a bigger problem for us.
boarstone
02-21-2009, 10:06
I'm moving to the Smokies...
troglobil
02-21-2009, 18:52
I don't recall there being any in Dolly Sodds. I was told that it was due to all the tanic acid in the water from the rhododendrons.
troglobil
02-21-2009, 18:53
which is also why the water in Red Creek is red
TnSlowPoke
02-21-2009, 21:50
One reason may be that there has been very little wet weather in the State of Tennessee for the last 2 years. Also the State dropsLady Bugs anywhere there are a large number of pine trees and mosquitos . The lady bugs are introduced by droping them into the tree tops by plane in early spring.The lady bugs are suposed to control the pine beatles and the mosquitos. (But what do I know)
There may be no mosquitoes but the no see ums can eat you up also. and that the Smokys have a number of.
BEAS
From what I have learned from flyfishers in the Smokies is that there are not a lot of bug hatches in the park due to the acidity of the water. I think the only significant hatch to speak of is on Abrams Ck. This may be due to the past logging practices that scoured the earth and changed the ph of the water. I have wondered the same thing myself. There are still those pesky little gnats that can bug you but at least they don't bite. They just add protein to your meals!
maxpatch67
02-23-2009, 18:14
hmmm, yep, its the whole region alright. I've been on the trail up further than than tn/nc, are there any mosquitoes as you go north?
maxpatch67
02-23-2009, 18:18
oops, that supposed to be I have NOT been further up north than tn/nc. We're not getting a whole lot solved here, but ya'll * crack'n me up!
Interesting thread. I went on a trip to the GSMNP in October of last year and between Clingmans Dome and Mt. Collins shelter I was surrounded by mosquitoes. When on the trail and in the sunlight they were all over me. As soon as I went into the shade, they disappeared. I didn't have any problems with mosquitoes except that area.
Interesting thread. I went on a trip to the GSMNP in October of last year and between Clingmans Dome and Mt. Collins shelter I was surrounded by mosquitoes. When on the trail and in the sunlight they were all over me. As soon as I went into the shade, they disappeared. I didn't have any problems with mosquitoes except that area.
I had that problem with gnats, no mosquitoes
johnnybgood
02-24-2009, 00:20
Interesting thread. I went on a trip to the GSMNP in October of last year and between Clingmans Dome and Mt. Collins shelter I was surrounded by mosquitoes. When on the trail and in the sunlight they were all over me. As soon as I went into the shade, they disappeared. I didn't have any problems with mosquitoes except that area.
:-? Is there standing water on the summit or marshy area where rainwater becomes stagnant ?
:-? Is there standing water on the summit or marshy area where rainwater becomes stagnant ?
I didn't notice any standing water. Most of the mosquitoes were from Collins Gap to near Mt. Collins Shelter. The temperature the night before was in the 30's,according to a ridge runner. I was surprised to see so many mosquitoes. (And disappointed to be their blood donor.)
Ox97GaMe
02-24-2009, 01:28
Im not sure where you are hiking during the summer months in the park, but I have had to use repellent on hikes around along the lake on a regular basis during the summer.
They get their fair share in Cades Cove too.
On other trails, I dont see many. That may be due to the cooler temps and high humidity. The rapid water and cascades create a sort of air conditioning affect under the canopy.
When at higher elevations, I would tend to agree with the fact that there isnt much standing water for them to breed in.
There may be some truth to the one post that suggested body odor might have something to do with it. I wasnt bothered too much by mosquitoes when I thru hiked. I was told that there are some body odors that naturally detract mosquitoes. Not sure if it is the testerone levels or endorphins that might be kicking in. It might have something to do with one's diet as well.. I know that if you eat a lot of garlic or onions regularly, I have been told that there are some gnats and flies that detect the odor oozing from your pores and will not bother you. Not sure how scientifically true that is. I havent tested the theory personally.
There may be some truth to the one post that suggested body odor might have something to do with it. I wasnt bothered too much by mosquitoes when I thru hiked. I was told that there are some body odors that naturally detract mosquitoes. Not sure if it is the testerone levels or endorphins that might be kicking in. It might have something to do with one's diet as well.. I know that if you eat a lot of garlic or onions regularly, I have been told that there are some gnats and flies that detect the odor oozing from your pores and will not bother you. Not sure how scientifically true that is. I havent tested the theory personally.
On our thru the mosquitoes, gnats, and anything else that crawled or flied showed no mercy on us, and let me tell you we were ripe 10 days out. And we had garlic with dinner almost every night. I would say that at our dirtiest we were bothered by them even more. And we were both bothered by them equally, so I couldn't imagine it being testosterone levels. But you never no, maybe we are just an exception.
Rain Man
02-24-2009, 17:46
I read somwhere it is the lack of still water,
Exactly. TVA dams covered most standing water in east Tennessee, and damned-up water isn't "still water." So, there are far fewer mosquito larvae.
Just try living in Memphis (as I did) to learn the difference. There is no comparison!
Rain:sunMan
.
GoldenBear
02-24-2009, 18:29
I've used the Internet to find info since Gopher was the best search function. Usually, grit and Google{*} allow me to locate a good URL to answer questions like this. However, the question of why certain places have mosquitoes and others don't is apparently a very complicated issue. The best URL I could find was
www.climas.arizona.edu/research/mosquito/background.html
where we learn stuff like
"The life cycle of a mosquito is sensitive to variations and changes in weather and climate conditions. Ae. aegypti lays her eggs ... The eggs will only hatch into larvae when additional water is added to the container and the eggs are re-submerged. ... container must hold water for at least three days to support mosquito development. ... Once hatched, the maturation of the larvae to a pupa and then an adult mosquito is dependent upon a variety of environmental factors, including temperature. Mosquitoes are cold blooded, meaning that their body temperature is similar to the surrounding environment. In the Southwest, high summer temperatures will shorten a mosquito’s life; prolonged below-freezing temperatures will kill the insect. In tandem with weather, a complex set of environmental and social characteristics will influence the abundance of a mosquito population in any given year and location."
It would seem there is no simple answer to this question.
beakerman
02-24-2009, 21:46
My guess is the mosquitoes in the south aren't as voracious as you might expect because their "season" is longer. Mosquitoes in Alaska are some of the worst, mainly because they don't have long to live, so they have to feed as much as possible before they die. Mosquitoes in the Smokys have a longer life span, so they don't need to be as aggressive. Therefore, you don't notice them as much.
Moving down south from New England, so many people have told me that the mosquitoes here can be bad. However, none of them have ever been to NH in the summer...they don't know bad mosquitoes from Adam!
nope the skeeter we have down here in Texas have a real good work ethic--they will drain you dry if you give them half a chance. Louisiana is even worse. I went hog hunting once and even with bug spray I looked like I had some chicken pox or something--it was brutal.
flemdawg1
03-02-2009, 13:01
Killed 3 mosquitoes on the Mt Sterling loop last week, there was about an inch of snow in the shady areas still. But they weren't bad/biting.
maxpatch67
03-05-2009, 17:51
I've used the Internet to find info since Gopher was the best search function. Usually, grit and Google{*} allow me to locate a good URL to answer questions like this. However, the question of why certain places have mosquitoes and others don't is apparently a very complicated issue. The best URL I could find was
www.climas.arizona.edu/research/mosquito/background.html (http://www.climas.arizona.edu/research/mosquito/background.html)
where we learn stuff like
"The life cycle of a mosquito is sensitive to variations and changes in weather and climate conditions. Ae. aegypti lays her eggs ... The eggs will only hatch into larvae when additional water is added to the container and the eggs are re-submerged. ... container must hold water for at least three days to support mosquito development. ... Once hatched, the maturation of the larvae to a pupa and then an adult mosquito is dependent upon a variety of environmental factors, including temperature. Mosquitoes are cold blooded, meaning that their body temperature is similar to the surrounding environment. In the Southwest, high summer temperatures will shorten a mosquito’s life; prolonged below-freezing temperatures will kill the insect. In tandem with weather, a complex set of environmental and social characteristics will influence the abundance of a mosquito population in any given year and location."
It would seem there is no simple answer to this question.
No kidding.....no wonder we all have our ownn ideas and none seem convincing in and of themselves.... Thanks.