Winston Woods in a Very Wet July

            According to family lore, when my great-grandfather was serving in the Civil War, his buddies dragged him out of his tent and rolled him in the mud. They were jealous because the bugs that were biting them left him alone. I don’t know what kind of insects they were, but I’m sure I didn’t inherit the anti-bug gene from him. That’s the main reason why I’m having a lover’s quarrel with Winston Woods this summer.

            The overly abundant rain we’ve had this summer created an ideal habitat for mosquitoes in the woods. Last Friday when I walked at Winston Woods, I sprayed myself well with bug repellant (yes, the kind with DEET), but every time I stopped to take a photo, the mosquito attack squad began a major assault on my arms and face. It wasn’t even evening or early morning, the times of day mosquitoes tend to be most active.

            Most of the several thousand species of mosquitoes lay their eggs in water or very near water, because at the larvae and pupa stage, they live in water. According to an article by Vikki Ortiz Healey in the Chicago Tribune last week, mosquitoes usually lay eggs once in a season, but the “steady rainfall” this year “has prompted at least four or five broods.” The overpopulation of mosquitoes in Winston Woods means they are short on food, so hikers became desirable prey. Mosquitoes are attracted by smells, such as sweat and the carbon dioxide we exhale; heat, such as the natural heat of our bodies; and by colors which contrasts with the surroundings (hint: if you are walking in the woods soon, wear camouflage clothing and cover your whole body).

            My arms still itch. Mosquitoes leave their saliva in the bite wound. That is what causes the swelling and itching. The swelling usually goes down fairly soon, if you don’t scratch (I don’t), but the bites still itch until the saliva proteins are broken down by your immune system.

            If mosquitoes give any thought to such things, I’m sure they think that is fair for them to draw blood from humans. After all, they were here on earth long before we were. Besides, the females need blood to nurture the eggs they will be laying (male mosquitoes don’t have the proboscis needed to suck blood; they subsist on plant nectar alone). Knowing they don’t bite out of spite is not very comforting, however.

            There is debate among scientists and naturalists over whether the world would be better off without mosquitoes. The main arguments in their favor are that they are pollinators of a variety of plants, and provide food for birds, animals and even fish (there is a mosquitofish that dines only on mosquitos). Those who vote for the entire elimination of the pesky little member of the fly family point to the serious diseases spread to humans by mosquitoes, including malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever, and encephalitis (West Nile virus is a form of encephalitis). Mosquitoes also spread disease among birds, dogs, horses and other animals.

            The most encouraging part of the recent Chicago Tribune article is the statement that “the pesky insects [in the Chicago area now] are not the variety that carry West Nile virus.” But I can attest to the fact that the author was right when she said “they are decidedly more aggressive.”

            Last month, it was mud, mud, mud at Winston Woods. It is still muddy, but the path that turned into a stream in June is no longer a stream. In addition to mosquitoes, the plentiful rain resulted in very lush green foliage that has narrowed most of the paths. As I hiked the trails, I was constantly brushed by tree branches, bushes, or other plants. I climbed over and under numerous downed trees and broken branches that have fallen recently. It would have been a pleasant adventure, except for the mosquitoes.

            I wish I’d written about Winston Woods last year. I could have written a love letter to the woods each month from spring through fall. I wish I’d chosen this as the year to write each month about the Gateway Wetlands where broad, paved paths help you keep your distance from mosquitoes and there are wildflowers in bloom. No mosquitoes bit me when I walked there recently.

            I’m tempted to break up with Winston Woods. Our relationship isn’t what it used to be. If I’d inherited that bug-resident gene from my great-grandfather I wouldn’t even think of ending our relationship. When and if Winston Woods dries out and the mosquitoes are less abundant, my lover’s quarrel will come to an end. Then I’ll again be delighted to walk on narrow paths that keep me close to nature’s cornucopia of green.

©  Wilda Morris