Mosquitoes: What You Need to Know

Need to get rid of mosquitoes? Read on to learn the answers to all of your important questions. Need help? Call our professionals today to get started.

Getting Rid Of Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes are one of the most ubiquitous pests we encounter in our lives. Summers filled with barbecues and fishing trips are frequently accompanied by several days of itching, swollen mosquito bites. Not only are mosquitoes and mosquito bites a headache, they can also be a health threat. For these reasons, it is crucial to reduce and control mosquito populations around your home.

What Are Mosquitoes?

Mosquitos are small winged insects that have a slender, segmented body with three sets of long hair-like legs and elongated mouths. They have been around for 100 million years and there are over 3,500 different species around the world. They are found in every land region in the world except Antarctica and other islands with subpolar climates like Iceland.

What Do Mosquitoes Eat?

Contrary to popular belief, mosquitos are not totally parasitic. Both male and female mosquitoes will eat nectar and other plant juices. However, female mosquitos are adapted specifically for feeding on human blood. Female mosquitoes need a blood meal and the nutrients that come with it in order to produce eggs.

Why Do Some People Attract More Mosquitos Than Others?

It may seem like you are one of those people (or you know one of those people) that mosquitos love to bite. You may have thought this was just bad luck or coincidental, but studies have shown that mosquitoes do have feeding preferences. These include people with type O blood, heavy breathers (mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide), those with an abundance of skin bacteria, people with high body heat and pregnant women. It has also been proven that attractiveness to mosquitoes is also genetic: so if one or both of your parents were the mosquito favorite, you might just be too. 

Are Mosquito Bites Dangerous?

Mosquito bites themselves are not dangerous. However, mosquitos can act as vectors for many viruses and parasites. Mosquito-borne diseases include:

• Viral diseases like yellow fever and dengue fever
• Malaria
• West Nile Virus
• Zika
• St. Louis Encephalitis

At least two million people around the world die of the diseases transmitted by mosquitoes. In 2018 in the United States, 49 out of 50 states reported West Nile Virus infections in humans to the CDC, including 167 confirmed deaths, a number that has been on the rise in recent years. In light of this, it is clear that mosquito control around your home is imperative and should be done by a trained professional.

How Can I Protect My Home From Mosquitos?

Mosquito control around your home is a two-fold course of action. First, a licensed pest control professional will reduce the source of mosquitos by targeting and eliminating any water sources around your home where mosquitoes might hang out and breed. The second aspect of a mosquito treatment plan may involve treating areas around your home with chemicals specifically designed to eradicate mosquitoes from your home.

A pest control professional will locate the areas that are most likely to harbor mosquitos so they can be altered or removed. They will also provide recommendations for how to keep mosquitoes from entering your home. They may also suggest some alterations to the plants and flowers around your home as one more part of the plan to keep mosquitos away from you and your family.  

Call Pest Control Experts today to get a free quote and to schedule your home pest inspection as soon as possible!