Everybody detests mosquitoes. A major nuisance when enjoying outdoor activities is mosquitoes. Nothing beats relaxing by the pool or taking in a beautiful sunset after a hard day, only to be interrupted by pesky insects. These tiny flying bugs have the potential to ruin an otherwise enjoyable summer day. Bites from mosquitoes aren’t only a pain; they can spread diseases like West Nile Virus. With little knowledge and maintenance, though, you can reclaim your outdoor space from pesky mosquitoes and forget about those irritating bites.
What are Mosquitoes?
According to the CDC, there are an estimated 3,500 distinct species of mosquitoes. However, no specific place can be claimed as their birthplace. Slender and wingless, mosquitoes lay their eggs in water. Mosquitoes, which can transmit diseases like malaria, feast on the blood of animals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals. In order to lay eggs, female mosquitoes require blood meals, but males merely consume nectar.
Mosquitoes may be a major pain, but they do have a fascinating life cycle. In around twenty-one days, a mosquito will go through all four stages of its life cycle. This process can take anywhere from one week to one month, depending on the circumstances. They may multiply with only half an inch of water and may reside inside or outside of structures.
When female mosquitoes lay their eggs, the mosquito’s life cycle starts. Above the water’s surface, a mosquito mother can deposit as many as one hundred eggs at once. These robust eggs have an eight-month dry-bulb life and a three-year freeze-proof life span. Mosquito eggs will hatch in water.
Known as “wrigglers” during their larval stage, these tiny creatures spend much of their time in their underwater nursery. They feed on aquatic microbes for five days before molting three times and developing into pupae. Pupae, often called “tumblers,” undergo metamorphosis and development after they reach the pupa stage, and eventually, their adult body will break through the pupal skin. Once this two- or three-day process is complete, the adult mosquitoes will depart the pond in quest of food.
While adult mosquitoes gorge themselves on plant and flower nectar, female mosquitoes lay their eggs in human and animal blood. While some mosquito species spend their entire lives flying just a few blocks, others spend their whole lives feeding and searching for new places to deposit their eggs.
What are Some Mosquito-Borne Diseases?
Diseases transmitted by mosquitoes occur when a female mosquito bites a host and carries the infected virus or disease to another host. We humans are easy targets of mosquito-borne diseases, including:
- West Nile virus
- Zika virus
- Chikungunya
- Dengue
- Malaria
- Myocarditis (Yellow fever)
The US has been hit hard by all of these illnesses, with the West Nile virus causing the most widespread outbreak. Each of these diseases has its own unique set of symptoms, but among the more typical ones are:
- Pain
- Fever
- Headaches
- Pain in the muscles and joints
- Indigestion
- Nausea
- Shivers
- Muscle strain
- Feeling exhausted
- Rashes and allergies
Importance of Controlling Mosquitoes
The annoyance of mosquitoes is well-known. The irritating buzzing and stinging can put a damper on anyone’s mood. However, mosquitoes aren’t just an annoyance; they’re also a major contributor to global mortality rates due to the diseases they spread.
Mosquitoes feed on blood using a proboscis, a modified version of their mouthparts that looks like a straw. Mosquitoes inject saliva into your skin while feeding, which can cause irritation and a bump. Mosquitoes can transmit diseases from one host to another when they bite; this includes humans and other animals.
Mosquitoes are known to spread 28 different diseases, some of which can cause minor illnesses to more serious and even fatal complications. Mosquitoes are known to spread several diseases, including the West Nile virus, dengue fever, and malaria. Mosquitoes can transfer diseases that they carry to humans when they bite, albeit not everyone infected with the virus will actually get sick. Hiring expert mosquito control services has several benefits, such as:
- To get mosquitoes off your property permanently, it’s best to hire a pest control service. You should relax knowing that your house is professionally safeguarded while you save time and money.
- When the weather is nice, your outdoor areas are like an extra room in your house or company. However, if mosquitoes are constantly buzzing and invading your area, you may find it difficult to enjoy being outdoors and may even spend less time outdoors.
Mosquito Control Tips
Even if mosquitoes are at their worst in the summer, you may still do what you can to keep them at bay:
Get Rid of Standing Water
Preventing standing water is the primary step in controlling mosquito populations. Mosquitoes love stagnant water, so get rid of any pools near your house. Grill covers, houses and baths for birds, and flowerpots all fall into this category.
Use of Mosquito Repellents
To keep mosquitoes away, use a mosquito repellent that has active components like DEET or natural essential oils like lemongrass or citronella.
Keep Your Gutters Clear
Mosquitoes love standing water, so it’s important to keep your gutters clean and clear of debris.
Clean and Maintained Lawn
Maintaining a well-kept lawn, particularly one with long grass, can help reduce mosquito populations. Mosquitoes, which are not strong flyers, can find refuge in tall grass.
Screens Installation
Following the removal of standing water in the yard, the next step is to install screens and fans. If your deck has a covered porch or patio, consider installing screens in the frames of the doors and windows. Mosquitoes seek out shade during the middle of the day when temperatures soar. They may try to hide on or under your deck if you don’t install bug screens. These pesky intruders have the potential to ruin your mid-afternoon deck session.
Use Mosquito Dunks
These can be used to trap mosquito larvae and prevent their development into adults in places with poor drainage or standing water.
Use Natural Defense
Rather than draining a water feature or body of water in your yard, it may be preferable to leave it there to attract and sustain natural predators. A wide variety of water creatures, such as amphibian species, fish, and other bugs, consume mosquito larvae. Before you do anything further, you should investigate the aquatic life in your area to see what kinds of predators are already there. If you want to see more beneficial wildlife in your area, plant some native aquatic and wetlands plants near bodies of water.
When to Get Mosquito Controlling Treatment
Treatments to keep mosquitoes off your grass should be planned early in the spring. Mosquito control is conducted from March to October to ensure that you and your family are safe from mosquitoes throughout the summer. In spring, when temperatures rise, mosquitoes ramp up their activity. You can reduce an infestation by beginning spray treatments for mosquitoes early on. Take into consideration that they are only approximations, but here is a general idea. It is critical to strike a balance between doing too much and not doing enough.
With choices for weekly, monthly, and seasonal services, a meticulously managed schedule can be your most cost-effective approach. Moreover, consider one-off events or that summer when mosquitoes decided to host Thanksgiving early as examples of situations when a single service could be enough.
Cost of Mosquito Controlling
The frequency and duration of the cavalry calls might affect the cost. A rough estimate of cost is as follows:
- With do-it-yourself solutions and little expert help, a frugal homeowner could be looking at around $100 to $300 each year.
- The ordinary suburban home can find a happy medium between expense and comfort with monthly or bimonthly treatments ranging from $300 to $700 per year.
- Particularly for large houses or specific treatments, the yearly fees might reach $1,000 or more for those in hotspots or pursuing the highest standards.
As far as mosquitoes are concerned, land is the most important piece of real estate. The cost of servicing your mosquito bubble varies depending on its size, from a small garden to a large estate. It goes without saying that commercial properties fall into a completely other pricing bracket. Ponds and verdant vegetation may enhance the aesthetic value of your home, but they can also complicate pest control and even necessitate more resources.
Get Professional Mosquito Treatment!
Hiring a professional has many advantages when it comes to treating your lawns for mosquitoes. WeedX Fertilizing does not utilize the same mosquito yard sprays as low-cost companies; instead, we employ solutions that kill all kinds of mosquitoes. To make sure you get the most out of our service, we will check your property to find important breeding sites.
The professionals at WeedX Fertilizing use a holistic strategy to rid your property of mosquitoes. After we determine the nature of your issue, we will do a comprehensive inspection for any signs of their habitat. In addition to those above, we will tailor a solution to your specific needs while also providing you with practical advice on how to lower mosquito populations.
We will free your property of mosquitoes and their larvae using a variety of approaches that will keep them at bay. Regardless of the size of your property, we have a mosquito control solution that will work for you.
If you want to get rid of those annoying buzzing bugs, call us and book your services!