Even Mosquitoes Flee the Heat Wave

Sweltering heat has chased even the mosquitoes away. A considerable number of mosquito eggs and larvae were washed away by torrential rains early this month, and mosquitoes have become inactive in the persistent heat wave that has pushed the mercury above 35 degrees Celsius.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, 158 mosquitoes were caught in about 60 trap lamps across the metropolitan area as of the first week of July, only a quarter of the 623 caught during the same period last year.

It was the first time since the city began mosquito research in 2008 that the number collected in the first week of July fell below 200.

Some 111 mosquito complaints were filed with Mapo District Office from January to June, down about 20 percent from 139 in the same period last year, and the story was the same in other districts.

Experts attribute the disappearance of mosquitoes to the sweltering heat after a brief spell of rain, which is the worst conditions for insects that like a humid environment at 23 to 28 degrees.

"Frequent drizzly rains are ideal for the growth of mosquito larvae," said Cho Shin-hyeong at the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Direct rays of the intense sunlight also discourage mosquitoes from becoming active."

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