Congaree National Park in South Carolina is famous for its remarkable biodiversity and is home to the largest intact expanse of old growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the southeastern United States.
Waters from the Congaree and Wateree Rivers sweep through the floodplain carrying with it the nutrients and sediments that nourish and rejuvenate this ecosystem and support the growth of national and state champion trees.
Unfortunately the lush ground that supports the giant and undisturbed forests of Congaree National Park can also create perfect breeding grounds for mosquitoes after rain and flooding events. Almost 80% of Congaree National Park lies within the floodplain of the Congaree River and is subject to periodic flooding (approximately ten times each year). Congaree National Park is very direct when it comes to your chances of running into mosquitoes, “from mid-spring until mid-fall, you will encounter mosquitoes in the park.”
Instead of downplaying the parks reputation for mosquito activity (20 mosquito species live in the park) they have embraced it and installed their now famous “Mosquito Meter” which is manually adjusted by park rangers according to conditions.
If you plan on visiting Congaree National Park during mosquito season, park officials recommend wearing long sleeves and pants and using bug spray but only applying in the parking lot so you don’t disturb wildlife while out on the trails.
Congaree National Park:
You’ve been warned…
Recent rains and receding floods have left behind large areas of stagnant water all throughout the park, perfect places for mosquitoes to lay their eggs. The resulting warm and humid air also expedites mosquito larvae development into adulthood and their overall reproduction rate. These conditions have created the perfect storm for any brave visitors in the foreseeable future, a storm that is only combatted by what one of our employees calls “Congaree Karate.”
“Well then, what on earth does it take to get a ‘War Zone’ reading on the Mosquito Meter?” While daytime conditions are currently ideal for mosquito rampages, our overnight temperatures have remained in the low 60s. Once they reach 70 and above consistently, well… prepare for battle.
Mosquito season in central South Carolina tends to be from April through the end of October. Applying insect repellent can help fend them off during your visit, but please only apply yours while in the parking lots to prevent disturbance of the insects we do like to have around (like fireflies!)
