Mosquito and tick season in Minnesota: What to expect

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Despite a chilly start to the week, warmer weather is on the way and that means more people will be getting outside.

That also means we’re not far away from mosquito and tick season. Here’s what we need to know before the bugs come back for the summer.

Mosquitos dependent on wet weather

What we know:

Minnesota’s mosquito population depends heavily on rain. We deal with a lot of summer floodwater mosquitoes, which can ebb and flow based on rain totals.

We also have to live with standing water breeding mosquitoes. They’re a little less rain dependent, and a species that tends to stay more consistent in dry and wet conditions. That population, though, is much lower than floodwater mosquitoes.

Slower start to spring?

What they're saying:

Officials with the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District say we could see a slower start to the spring when it comes to mosquitoes. But they’re also anticipating a spike later in the summer, when it gets warmer and we get more storms.

"The National Weather Service is predicting that we're going to have a drier summer this year back to kind of where we were pre 2024. So it doesn't know, we don't know how dry it's going to be, if it's going to be a total drought or if it's going to be slightly less than normal. So if that stays true, we're probably not gonna see as many floodwater mosquitoes," said Alex Carlson with the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District. "But there will definitely be enough around the Fourth of July of those cattail mosque. Those which are pretty aggressive and tend to feed on humans that people are definitely going to notice a spike this year."

Tick season is almost here

Why you should care:

Tick season is also approaching, and experts say they can survive the colder months. Their activity is much lower in the winter, but they’re now starting to come out and that population will only go up.

Experts say it’s a good reminder to make sure you check for ticks after being out in wooded areas. Also, put flea and tick preventatives on your pets.