Australia Is Facing an Intense Mosquito Season Due to Erratic Weather

Australia Is Facing an Intense Mosquito Season

February 08, 2013

By Emma Do 

Erratic weather patterns in Australia have caused a boom in mosquito populations, and it's a problem that extends past just being frustrating at barbecues. The increase has driven a rise in bloodsucker-borne diseases, some of which are pretty terrible.

New South Wales has already experienced a dramatic spike in Ross River disease, a virus spread by mosquitoes that causes skin rashes, prolonged joint swelling, fatigue, and muscle ache. Meanwhile, Brisbane recently took on its biggest mosquito reduction measure in 15 years, proof that officials are taking the threat seriously.

A warmer than average spring in NSW last year is believed to be the main factor behind the rise. The mosquito monitoring program reported an earlier start to the mosquito season in 2014, finding sizeable populations in October, a month earlier than usual. While not all mosquitoes carry disease, the longer the season is, the higher the chance of mosquitoes picking them up.

Last week, Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and Bureau of Meteorology released a report basically stating that Australia would be hardest hit by climate change by the end of the 21st century. Along with the usual predictions for devastating weather events and temperature rises, scientists believe prolonged mosquito seasons will make these kinds of viruses even more prevalent. However, climate change effects on mosquitoes are about as predictable as tropical cyclones. Stephen explains the overall conditions could be drier, which may have a reverse effect. "The drier conditions may reduce mosquito numbers in certain areas," he said. "But funny enough, the Saltmarsh mosquito prefers drier conditions so we may see an increase in those. All we can say is that we expect to see change."

In Queensland, Brisbane residents are experiencing an intense mosquito season. Since major storms and heavy rainfall in November last year, the city council has sprayed 4400 hectares of public land in an effort to reduce virus-carrying saltmarsh mosquitoes. Mike Muller, medical entomologist for Brisbane City Council told VICE that numbers are exceptionally high at the moment. "In early November we had the first really big tide of the season and that was enough to hatch dormant eggs in marshes that could have been there for months," he said. "They're the worst pests because they're so mobile. They can travel up to five kilometers.”