[pct-l] blood sucking mosquitoes

[Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes]

Thanks so much for the information about the midges. When I hiked  
last summer in the Winds there were swarms of what I thought at first  
were mosquitoes, but they didn't bite. They were a little larger than  
the average mosquito and resembled them. I have also seen similar  
insects near 1000 Island Lake. Annoying they are, but you can still  
sit outside your tent and watch the alpenglow.

If you wait around long enough, you finally learn all these little  
mysteries. First those weird honking birds (nighthawks), now this.  
(This is also the reason I loved the guide books.)

On Apr 11, 2013, at 4:39 AM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:

> From: "Keith Kurko" <kwkurko at comcast.net>
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] blood sucking mosquitoes
>
> With all due respect Danny, the reason those "early season mosquito  
> swarms"
> in the air are ignoring you is that they are not mosquitoes.  The  
> swarms you
> are referring to are non-biting midges scientifically known as  
> chironomids.
> Their larvae are aquatic and they live in the mud on the bottom of  
> lakes and
> sluggish streams.  Chironomids do not possess the necessary  
> piercing mouth
> parts to puncture skin and bite people, even if they wanted to (and  
> they
> have no interest).  And mosquitoes do not swarm together randomly  
> in the
> air.  They swarm around people and other warm blooded prey.