Mosquitoes can be annoying when you are trying to enjoy your backyard. They can carry diseases and their bites itch like crazy. But there are ways to reduce the number of mosquitoes in your area.
Description of Mosquitoes
"Mosquito" is from the Spanish for “small fly.” There are over 3,500 species of mosquitoes in the world. Fortunately, New England doesn’t have as many species as that. The basic mosquito has a dark body, two identical wings that are translucent, and six legs. The female has an elongated proboscis that she uses to pierce the skin of her prey. She cannot produce eggs without a blood meal. Males eat nectar and pollen and don’t live that long after mating. Both sexes loaf in cool spots between shrubs and walls, in long grass, and any other spot that they find that is cool and dark.
Lifecycle Of Mosquitoes
After a female mosquito has a blood meal, her eggs develop. She lays her eggs in a raft (stuck together to float) on still water. Other mosquitoes lay solitary eggs in places that flood during the rain. The eggs can wait for rain for two years before they go bad. The eggs laid in still water hatch in a few days. They live in the water as wigglers or larvae. Mosquito larvae eat organic matter and sometimes other insects. They breathe through a snorkel. The larvae pupate and are called tumblers at this stage because they tumble in the water if it is disturbed. An adult mosquito steps out of the top of the pupa and flies away. Some mosquitoes can complete this cycle in a little over seven days.
Diseases Mosquitoes Can Spread
Mosquitoes are believed to be the most dangerous animals on earth. They spread diseases that kill or maim millions of people each year. When a mosquito bites you, she injects a little saliva in the bite that has an anti-coagulant and an antihistamine. She can also inject parasites or viruses into you along with the salvia. Mosquitoes can carry Zika virus, malaria, West Nile virus, dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, encephalitis, tularemia, and dog heartworms. Many of these diseases do not occur in New England, but travelers sometimes come home with them and cause a little outbreak.
Reduce Mosquitoes In Your Yard
You can help keep the mosquito population down in your backyard. You can also protect yourself if you have to go outside. The following are some ways to reduce the number of mosquitoes in your backyard and reduce the bites you get from them.
- Empty water from tires, buckets, toys, or anything else after rain.
- Fill holes in trees that collect water.
- Empty troughs, pet watering dishes, and birdbaths twice a week and clean them before refilling them.
- Trim back shrubs and trees from walls so they do not form dark cool places for mosquitoes to loaf.
- Cut long grass and remove weeds from flower beds.
- Stay in at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.
- Wear long sleeves, long pants, and closed-toe shoes when outside.
- Spray a repellent on your clothes that contains DEET.
Get Professional Help
You can only do so much to keep mosquitoes at bay. Big Blue Bug Solutions can help you get reduce the number of mosquitoes in your yard. We can treat your yard once before a wedding or big party is going to be held there. Big Blue Bug Solutions also comes on a schedule during mosquito season to treat your yard for the adults and the larvae. We can reduce the mosquito population by 90% with our treatments. Call Big Blue Bug Solutions today to reduce the mosquito population or receive our reliable home pest control service.