This summer's drought, heat likely behind less mosquito-related nuisance

People in the Netherlands experienced relatively little mosquito-related nuisance this summer, Nature Today reported. According to researchers at Wageningen University & Research (WUR), this is most likely linked to the extreme drought and high temperatures that the country saw in recent months.

This summer, the mosquito nuisance index was 16 percent lower than the 2020-2025 average. It is calculated based on reports from the online platform muggenradar.nl.

Mosquitoes need the water to be standing so that it does not dry out too quickly in order for their larvae to develop. This summer's heat and drought made the breeding pools rare. However, where water did remain, the heat made mosquitos develop more quickly than usual.

“According to our mosquito development model, the sixth generation is already flying around at this time of year. That has never happened so early,” the researchers said.