Mosquitoes
What is a Mosquito?
Mosquitoes are flying insects that live in most parts of the world. Its purpose in the ecosystem is to be a pollinator as well as to be a food source for other animals. We could actually lose thousands of plant species if they went extinct.
As important as they are, mosquitoes are culprits when it comes to spreading diseases. Some kinds of mosquitoes bite which causes itching and swelling. It is how they spread pathogens. There are also some mosquitoes that bite but don’t spread diseases, which are called nuisance mosquitoes. Contrary to popular beliefs, only female mosquitoes bite because they need a blood meal to reproduce.
Life Cycle
- Egg - Eggs hatch when submerged in water. They usually take several months before hatching
- Larva - Once the eggs are hatched, larvae come out but only if the water level rises to cover the eggs. Adding water to the surface or rainfall could trigger it to hatch.
- Pupa - Pupae will develop until the body of the newly formed adult flying mosquito emerges from the pupal skin and leaves the water.
- Adult - After adult mosquitoes emerge, males feed on nectar from flowers while females feed on blood to reproduce.
Diseases Spread by Mosquitoes
- Zika Virus - Zika infection during pregnancy could cause a child to develop microcephaly or a condition where a baby’s brain does not develop properly which results in smaller head size.
- Dengue - A life-threatening disease that affects 1 in 4 people. Rashes appear on the skin, accompanied by nausea and body aches. It could decrease your platelet count and may require a blood transfusion if severe.
- West Nile - A virus with no vaccine treatment that could incite fever in some people, and could develop encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or meningitis (inflammation of membranes that surround the brain and spine) in 1 out of 150 people.
- Malaria - A serious and sometimes fatal disease that makes people sick with high fevers, chills, and flu. In severe cases, the infected could experience kidney injury, coma, seizures, hyperparasitemia, and severe anemia.
- Yellow Fever - A disease that induces fever, headache, and chills. About 15% of the infected develop bleeding, organ failure, or worse, death.
- Chikungunya - This disease had an outbreak in Africa, Asia, America, Europe, etc. Infected people may experience headaches, muscle pain, joint swelling, or rash. Because of tourism, it is feared that infected travelers could pass it on to unaffected areas.
- Rift Valley Fever - A disease that is most commonly seen in domestic animals like cattle, sheep, or goats. Although it is rarely experienced that a person has severe symptoms, people with serious infections could experience eye diseases, hemorrhage (excessive bleeding), and encephalitis (Swelling if the brain).
- Jamestown Canyon Virus - This virus can cause fever, headache, fatigue, and in some severe cases, encephalitis as well. It is also bad that there are no vaccines for this disease as well.
- Snowshoe Hare Virus - A virus that incites flu-like illnesses, headache, nausea, vomiting, seizure, and confusion.
- La Crosse Encephalitis - A disease that does not have symptoms for most of the infected, but may develop severe disease, including encephalitis. There is no vaccine for this as well.
Signs of Mosquito Infestation
- Stagnant Water Sources - Female mosquitoes lay eggs in water. What’s worse is that she can lay up to hundreds of eggs in these! If you have stagnant water around, be careful as these creatures might be expanding their population in your area.
- Buzzing Sounds - It’s pretty annoying to hear constant buzzing sounds nearing your ear, especially when mosquitoes are around. Mosquito buzzing is a lot more annoying since they are higher pitched than other insects. Buzzing sounds are made because they flap their wings so fast, it makes a noise.
- Shade Everywhere - Mosquitoes like being in shaded areas. You might wanna check around if you think that your property doesn’t get direct sunlight.
- Itchy Bites - If you notice yourself scratching too much and noticing bumps on those itchy areas frequently, you’re already being consumed by mosquitoes!
- Humid Area - Mosquitoes thrive in humid areas. If you live in an area with stagnant water and hot temperatures, consider checking for mosquitoes.
Mosquito infestation Prevention
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Keep Your Gutters Clean
Leaves, twigs, and dirt might be clogging up your gutters and water might be flooding inside it. Clogged gutters are a haven for mosquitos to multiply. Be sure to clean it out regularly.
- Check your Air Conditioner
Air conditioners drip water because of a clogged drain line. Without cleaning your AC, dust and debris can collect and eventually clog the drain hole. Be up-to-date with your regular AC clean-ups to prevent water spillage.
- Remove Stagnant Water
Have you checked on that bucket of water outside? How about the dirty fish tank you said you would clean? Remove any possible water source or you might be inviting these disease-carrying mosquitoes inside your property.
- Keep Your Pool Maintained
We all know that pools are difficult to clean. However, dirty, stagnant pools are like resorts for mosquitoes. Have your pools regularly cleaned to keep these unwanted visitors from invading your leisure area.
Sources: https://www.cdc.gov/mosquitoes/about/what-is-a-mosquito.html
https://www.epa.gov/mosquitocontrol/mosquito-life-cycle
https://www.cdc.gov/dengue/resources/factsheets/mosquitolifecyclefinal.pdf
https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/ss/slideshow-mosquito-borne-diseases
https://www.raisingedmonton.com/signs-of-mosquito-infestation-that-you-need-to-be-aware-of/
Why is Mosquito Control Necessary?
Mosquitoes are one of the most dangerous insects as they carry life-threatening diseases with them. Dealing with them by yourself could not only give you stress, you could also get bitten by these annoying little creatures. It is best to leave it up to the experts to exterminates these mosquitoes.
We, at SureSolutions Inc., only want the best results for your properties, and as pest control professionals, we are here to make sure that mosquitoes in your property are completely eradicated.
Having trouble with mosquitoes? We have the best solution for that!
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