CO Mosquitos

[Tman24]

I’d be more worried about the flys. I’ve never seen so many when I was quartering up my elk 2 years ago in CO

 

[mobohunter]

Have been out twice, first week of September. Hasn't been an issue yet...

 

[COJoe]

Two years ago on a mule deer hunt in early September with temps in the upper 80s, I had bees flying around me but never really bothering me and some flies of various colors and sizes. Humming birds sure liked my orange hat and hovered right near my head, really pretty. Had the bees last year too while elk hunting in October with temps in the 60s, I'm convinced they like the fluorescent orange sitka hat I wear, but no mosquitoes.

 

[Ucsdryder]

No mosquito problems in September but I am always over 9400 feet. Gets cooler at night. I have had a year or two where some dang horseflies bit like the devil mid afternoon.

Horseflies are annoying but those bald faced hornets are an issue. They’ll fight you like a grizzly bear over a dead elk. 3-4 years ago they were thick. I kept finding their nests in trees.

When I was cruising timber in college we used to eff with them. We were dumb and fast. If they saw you mess with their neat they’d come after you. More than once we had them pinging off the windshield of our truck as we made a run for it. They’re mean SOBs.

 

[Nickofthewoods]

Horseflies are annoying but those bald faced hornets are an issue. They’ll fight you like a grizzly bear over a dead elk. 3-4 years ago they were thick. I kept finding their nests in trees.

When I was cruising timber in college we used to eff with them. We were dumb and fast. If they saw you mess with their neat they’d come after you. More than once we had them pinging off the windshield of our truck as we made a run for it. They’re mean SOBs.

Are those the same thing as yellowjackets?

Yellowjackets seem the worst to me in August and September. They have been so bad at times that you can't even eat lunch in peace without them all over your food. Their stings are more painful than bee stings imo.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Are those the same thing as yellowjackets?

Yellowjackets seem the worst to me in August and September. They have been so bad at times that you can't even eat lunch in peace without them all over your food. Their stings are more painful than bee stings imo.

Similar, way meaner. Black bear vs grizzly bear.

 

[11boo]

Similar, way meaner. Black bear vs grizzly bear.

View attachment 714893

I don’t know if that’s what stung me on the face last year, but it hurt.

We were hoping to rake in a bull, only the tree I raked had a nest of those in it. Holy cow they came out mad. I will definitely be checking next time first.

 

[Hnthrdr]

It can be hit or miss but when it’s a hit they’re miserable. I made a scouting trip a few years ago to hang cameras in June. One nighter. I came home looking like I had chickenpox. Hundreds of mosquito bites. I hid in my tent all evening and they were swarming me.

Last year was horrible with the amount of moisture we got late spring early summer… felt like Alaska mosquito wise, good to keep the forest fires at a minimum though

 

[OkiechasingElk]

Are those the same thing as yellowjackets?

Yellowjackets seem the worst to me in August and September. They have been so bad at times that you can't even eat lunch in peace without them all over your food. Their stings are more painful than bee stings imo.

Luckily I haven't ran in to that situation yet. If i find myself fighting a nest of Yellowjackets, I'm probably not making it out of the woods.

I'd at least find out if a pair of epipens can buy me enough time to get to a hospital. Otherwise, i'll just be sending coordinates to my family of where to send someone to find my body.


I'd rather take my chances with a Grizzley or Mountain Lion.

 

[Poser]

Usually only get one Mosquito cycle in the high country. They hatch sometime in June and then there is a 6 week cycle. After that, they drop off considerably. By sept, the nights have usually hit cool enough temps for long enough that they just can’t survive. Lower elevations will be a different story.

Ticks really struggle to live above 6,000 feet or so. I’ve had 3 on me in 8 years, always in the spring while Turkey hunting and presumably having fallen off of migrating animals from lower elevations. Above 8k or so, they won’t live long enough to be a relevant concern.
Yellowjackets and horseflies are around and somehow shit flies find your turds the moment they hit the ground at 13,000 feet.

 

[spike camp]

Usually only get one Mosquito cycle in the high country. They hatch sometime in June and then there is a 6 week cycle. After that, they drop off considerably. By sept, the nights have usually hit cool enough temps for long enough that they just can’t survive. Lower elevations will be a different story.

Ticks really struggle to live above 6,000 feet or so. I’ve had 3 on me in 8 years, always in the spring while Turkey hunting and presumably having fallen off of migrating animals from lower elevations. Above 8k or so, they won’t live long enough to be a relevant concern.
Yellowjackets and horseflies are around and somehow shit flies find your turds the moment they hit the ground at 13,000 feet.

I live at 7k…and so do about one billion ticks, in my area.

 

[Poser]

I live at 7k…and so do about one billion ticks, in my area.

I was out brush busting this morning trying to find a way to access some fall bear terrain and picked up one at 9,000 feet. It was pretty sluggish, though. I guess that increases my total tick count to 4 in Colorado, but I’ve yet to have one outside of the spring season.

 

[parshal]

I bowhunted a few years in mid September at 9k and we always had mosquitoes around in the dark timber. Bring the thermacell.

 

[spike camp]

I was out brush busting this morning trying to find a way to access some fall bear terrain and picked up one at 9,000 feet. It was pretty sluggish, though. I guess that increases my total tick count to 4 in Colorado, but I’ve yet to have one outside of the spring season.

I’ve always found it interesting, how area dependent ticks are in CO
I’ve picked up probably 35 since March.
They do slow way down after June/july

 

[Poser]

I’ve always found it interesting, how area dependent ticks are in CO
I’ve picked up probably 35 since March.
They do slow way down after June/july

Must be a species related variable with some more localized species doing better at elevation than others.

 

[5MilesBack]

I have seen one tick in my lifetime (going on 59) in Colorado, and that was at 10k feet one year in June. I sure hope I haven't jinxed myself.

 

[Beendare]

One season the skeeters were bad…out of about 35…those are good odds

 

[spike camp]

Must be a species related variable with some more localized species doing better at elevation than others.

Went for a 7 mile
Loop today…
I plucked 2 ticks off my clothing and after I got home I found one that had made its way up under my layers and was kinda half digging in at my waist belt area.

I have a creek right next to my house and have been working on a low deck and get a tick on my clothes pretty much every time I’m working out there.

 

[Bobrobheimer]

I grew up in CO and lived in the mountains - basically never saw or got any ticks as a kid. The last several years my dad who still lives there picks up quite a few ticks every spring. The area burned in a fire about 10years ago and so the habitat definitely changed. Might be that or just that ticks are becoming more prevalent in CO.

 

[Phaseolus]

In three years hunting mid to late September in Colorado between 8000-11000’, I’ve seen zero ticks and zero mosquitos.

…seen a lot of mice some years.

Ticks are a spring phenomena in Colorado.