Your Edmonton insects are playing hard to get

You know, every year around this time, you expect a certain rhythm. The ice finally leaves the North Saskatchewan River, the LRT construction on Valley Line West grinds on, and the mosquitos begin their annual aerial assault. It's a natural order of things, like the Oilers making the playoffs then giving us all heart palpitations. But this year? Our local creepy-crawlies are apparently taking a prolonged sabbatical, and honestly though, it's messing with my internal calendar.

Apparently, the rather persistent coolness we've experienced — the kind that makes you keep your parka on into May, just in case — has delayed the re-emergence of a whole host of insects. Experts are saying that many of the bugs we'd usually see in reasonable numbers by now are just… not around. It's like they all got the memo that summer was postponed. I mean, sure, fewer mosquitos sounds like a dream you'd have after a particularly potent craft beer from Alley Kat, but what about the ecosystem? What about the birds along the River Valley trails who depend on these little guys?

### What This Means for Edmonton

* **A Quieter Spring:** Less buzzing means fewer impromptu dances to swat away unseen foes while you're trying to enjoy a latte on Whyte Ave.

* **Delayed Ecosystem Rhythms:** Our local wildlife, from the ducks at Mill Woods Park to the various avian species nesting near the Muttart Conservatory, might find their early food sources a bit scarce.

* **A Potential Insect Avalanche Later:** Or, as often happens in Edmonton, nature might just decide to catch up all at once, leading to a truly biblical swarm later in the season. You can almost hear the collective groan from Bonnie Doon to St. Albert.

It’s just another one of those reminders that Edmonton doesn't need your approval. Never did. And neither do our insects, apparently, as they dictate their own schedule, weather permitting. Let's just hope they don't all decide to show up for the Fringe Festival. That would be a sight.

Darren Fedoruk, MiTL Sports Desk, Edmonton.

Catch what Keith and the crew think about this whole bug situation every morning — live at mornings.live.