Decline in Minnesota’s bat population continues as biting insects surge across the BWCA, North Shore

WTIP heard complaints from multiple listeners and community about swarms of biting insects during recent weeks.

All one needs to do is step outside anywhere from the end of the Gunflint Trail to the edge of Grand Marais to get a picture of how bad the bugs are this year. Indeed, swarms of biting black flies and mosquitoes were abundant across the North Shore and Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in late May and the first two weeks of June. In addition to a prolonged spring with steady precipitation, abundant snowfall last winter across the region provides ample breeding ground for mosquitoes.

And while the bugs are bad, notably absent this spring and early summer are bats. Bats love to feast on biting insects and in late 2022 WTIP reported on the declining population of bats across Minnesota.

WTIP’s Joe Friedrichs spoke with Jill Utrup, a Minnesota-based researcher for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to learn more about the decline in the bat population and a surge of biting insects along the North Shore region this spring and early summer. Audio below.

Joe Friedrichs June 12, 2023