What Are Mosquitoes?
The word “mosquito” is the Spanish word for “little fly.” There are 3,500 species of mosquitoes in the world. There are about 1,700 species in North America. They are insects with one set of wings, narrow bodies, three pairs of legs, and a mouth elongated for the purpose of feeding on hosts. Mosquitoes exist as larva or pupa for 5 to 40 days, but adult males only live on for less than a week. Unfortunately, they can do a lot of damage in a short time. By feeding on the blood of their hosts, they spread harmful and deadly diseases such as yellow fever, malaria, dengue fever, Zika, and West Nile. Upwards of 700,000 people die from mosquito-borne diseases each year. Experts estimate that they have led to the deaths of as much as 5% of the total human population throughout history.
Here in the Carolinas and Virginia, mosquito-borne disease is not as common as in some other places in the world, but certainly not impossible. Furthermore, besides itchy, irritated skin, people often experience allergic reactions or painful infections as the result of bites. It is important to take steps to reduce and eliminate the mosquito population at your home or property.
Why Do I Have So Many Mosquitoes?
For starters, it is entirely possible your mosquito population is not your fault. They may be attracted to your property simply because they found it appealing. However, there are some mosquito attractors of which you must be aware:
- If there is water ponding on your property, mosquitoes will likely lay their eggs there.
- If the water does not drain or dry, mosquitoes can use it for breeding multiple times.
- Mosquitoes often find birdbaths and other decorative water features perfect for breeding.
- They may be attracted to trash that is not tightly secured.
If you have a mosquito problem, it is likely due to a drainage issue. You may need to change your landscaping to reduce the occurrences of excess water. However, that may not eliminate mosquitoes.
How Can I Get Rid of Mosquitoes?
There are a few things you can do on your own to reduce the presence of mosquitoes. You can use insect repellent on your skin or place heavily scented repellants around your outside seating areas. You can plant repellant herbs such as basil, garlic, bee balm, lavender, catnip, and citronella. You can use mosquito netting around your home, and make sure you have screens on all your windows. However, all this may not be enough to reduce the population of mosquitoes on your property.
So, what else can you do?
For some mosquito populations, you are going to need to call in the experts. Rid-A-Bug is here to help. We service backyards in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia to get them mosquito-free.
We have developed a treatment to eliminate mosquitoes at the source and will even help to get rid of potential mosquito breeding areas that may be in your own backyard. If you are ready to take your property back from mosquitoes, contact the expert exterminators at Rid-A-Bug today.
We have over fifty years of experience exterminating these pesky pests throughout the area. We can eliminate pest problems within 48 hours of your call, so you can get back to enjoying your patio and deck by the weekend. Reach out to the team at Rid-A-Bug today.
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