The cattail quandary
Here’s a supplement to the Stanwood-Camano News’ article about the district here. My last month has been spent looking and treating for Coquillettidia perturbans, the cattail mosquito, pictured below. Read on for all the itchy details.
The cattail mosquito is easily distinguishable with the naked eye thanks to all the salt-and-pepper colored scales on its wings. No other mosquito in our region has scales as large and identifiable. You’re most likely to get bit by one on an evening stroll in the woods, but I’ve had more than a few bites early in the morning, too. Bites from the cattail mosquito can be pretty painful considering their large size!
As mentioned in the article, the cattail mosquito gets its name thanks to where mom chooses to lay her eggs - on and around cattail plants. Cattails are aquatic plants that you’re probably familiar with, and can be found in ponds across the northern hemisphere. We have plenty on Camano, some of which you can see making me sneezy below.
After mom lays her eggs near the base of the cattail, larvae soon emerge and attach themselves to the cattail’s aquatic roots. I wish I could show you a picture of a Cq. perturbans larva here, but they’re tricky to find. Here’s what the roots of a cattail look like after cleaning up all the mud.
Imagine you’re a predator (or a mosquito control employee!) looking for a small, beige aquatic insect in this mess. That’s probably one reason these mosquitoes have evolved to occupy this particular niche - predators have great difficulty finding them in the spaghetti that is cattail roots. Considering how dense the roots and mud around them can be, not every insecticide works against them, either, instead just getting caught up in the yuck.
Many places across the country resort to killing the adult mosquitoes with space sprays when they start showing up in traps. That’s not currently an option here, although it is an effective short-term solution. Most people like the look of cattails, and considering they’re native plants, getting rid of them en-masse isn’t likely. Still, there are a few things we can do:
If you have a pond with cattails present, please let me know! I have a few larvicides that work well against them particularly when applied overhead by drone.
Consider getting rid of the cattails if you don’t particularly care about them. Obviously this isn’t a solution for everyone, but if you’re getting eaten-alive every night, it’s something you might consider. You might be surprised at how easily they come out of the mud with a gentle tug. I certainly was!
Coquillettidia perturbans prefer to come out around sunset and sunrise on warm days. If you can’t avoid going out at those times, wear long sleeved, loose fitting clothing to deter bites.
Lastly, insect repellent works wonders for avoiding mosquito bites. If you haven’t found a repellent that you like yet, there are many to choose from with different scents, skin-feels, and durations. Picaridin, DEET, IR3535… if you had a bad experience, try a different one, and you might be pleased with how different they all are.
Thanks for your time and see you outside!