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hedgehopper's avatar
hedgehopper
Explorer
Jan 23, 2014

Best time to avoid all insect pests

The last time we drove to Alaska, we left the US in mid-June and returned in mid-July. The mosquitoes feasted on us all the way. Another thread asked about black flies. We didn't have a problem with them. Nevertheless, other than winter, when is the best time to drive to Alaska and avoid little pests: mosquitoes, black flies, and any others I might not know to ask about?

8 Replies

  • It was 46F in Whitehorse today, warmer in the sunshine.
    No bugs now.
    Perfect camping conditions!

    Haines Junction hit 56F according to CBC
    Today’s hot spot in Canada: Haines Junction, Yukon

    Warmer than Orlando, Florida apparently!
    Excerpt from the article:

    The "pineapple express" that has been sweeping through the Yukon has pulled into Haines Junction with a blast of warm weather.
    The mercury there hit +13.6 C earlier today, warmer than Orlando, Florida, and the hot spot in Canada.
  • Tom/Barb wrote:
    December


    That was my first thought also
  • Its really not something that you can accurately predict based on time of the year, especially with mosquitos. In my experience it is more about weather and location. If its wet and muddy, you can count on them most anytime of the year when the temps are above about 40F.

    Also if the terrain is rocky/sandy there will usually be fewer bugs than if its boggy, muskeg, tundra, etc. Standing water is everything for mosquitos.

    Black flies are somewhat more predictable and are usually more associated with late spring, early summer.

    I have been on backcountry fishing trips for most of the past 25 years in northern Ontario, Quebec and Alaska. Your best friend is a good bug shirt. IMHO, the best, by far is the "Original Bug Shirt" brand made in Trout Creek, Ontario. High quality and wears like iron. I don't always need it on every trip but when I do, its worth its weight in gold.
  • Bugs in the Los Anchorage area are on the run by early September....but a late warm spell will bring them back instantly! One of the nice features about Fall in Alaska (later than most tourists visit) is the absence of bugs.

    As Joe said, location is more important than timing. Stay in open breezy areas and you won't have a problem. Camp next to the pond and you'll get bugs.
  • For most summer visitors to the north country, location is going to be more important than the month. I have seem mosquitos out in the spring when there is still snow on the ground. Just takes a few warm day and a few puddles of water and they will hatch out.

    Many people go to the north and seldom see a bug that bites. The last time we stayed at the River Side Campground in Fairbanks for a week, I remember we saw one mosquito in that time frame. If a person stays more to the urban areas of the north to camp, bugs are normally not too bad. Get into the type terrain they enjoy, muskeg, trees, shade, standing water or swampy conditions such as the permafrost areas, etc and you will find the critters.

    But some of my favorite places to camp, are bug havens, such as the BLM campground at Tangle Lakes, Dawson's Peak on the Alaska Hwy, some of the government type campgrounds built back in the trees, etc. One of the reasons so many of the commercial campgrounds are built as large gravel parking lots, is not only is it cheaper to run utilities, but you have much less of a bug problem.

    I have to keep telling myself, the bugs serve a purpose in the north, and this is a major food source for all the migrating birds that spent their summers in the north, raising their young, etc. It takes a lot of bugs to feed a growing gosling or duckling. LOL So watch where you camp and you can reduce the times you become a major donor of blood, etc. for the insects. To me the major bugs to watch out for are the mosquitos, gnats, (these guys will ley their eggs under your skin), no see ums and for me, the white socks as I have a bad reaction to them. They are of the deer fly/ black fly family from what I understand. The biting horse flies at Liard River Hot Springs can be a real challenge at times, as well. They will take chunks of meat off your body as you get in and out of the water at times. Other times there won't be a single fly in the area, not sure what are the determining factors.

    Much depends on whether you are talking about a wet cool summer or a hot dry one, also how much snow was received the previous winter, smoke from forest fires clears them out as well. I don't care for the idea of wearing the treated bugs suits, but favor long pants, long sleeve shirts, cotton gloves and a head net, with all the seams taped with duct tape. On many fall hunting and fishing trips on the rivers of Alaska, this was what I wore 24 hours a day, including while sleeping. This wardrobe and lotsie (a good northern word) bug dope with high DEET levels.

    The bugs also help new travels have some good stories to tell the folks back home, when they get back. All part of the adventure/survival, of taking a trip to the north country.
  • Mosquitos.....usually the worst, the last 2 weeks of June until the end of July.

    I suggest you buy a bug suit and spray as soon as you cross the border. I heard that last year was the worst ever and they sold out of both suits and repellents