Mosquitoes—Dealing With This
Reviled Insect Isn't Difficult

Mosquitoes are one of the most reviled insects on the planet. Many activities have been ruined by the constant irritation caused by their bites, not to mention the annoyance of having them buzz around our heads. Some species transmit serious diseases.

Continue reading to learn how and where they breed and what can be done to reduce their numbers in and around the home, and how to protect yourself from bites.

The Mosquito Life Cycle

All mosquitoes pass through four life stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.

The time from egg to adult varies by species and ambient temperature.

Larval Stage

The egg hatches into a larva, sometimes referred to as a wriggler.

Larvae feed on microorganisms in shallow water.

Pupal Stage

Larvae grow up and become pupae, or tumblers. They stay as pupae only a few days, then become adults.

Male Adult Stage

The males do not bite. They live only 1 to 2 weeks, feeding on plant juices and nectar.

Female Adult Stage

Females require a blood meal before they lay their eggs.

To find their meal, females use heat, body scent, movement and exhaled carbon dioxide from animals to hone in on us.

Diseases Spread by Mosquitoes

• Malaria
• Yellow fever
• Viral encephalitis such as West Nile, St Louis, LaCrosse and Eastern equine
• Canine heartworm (cats may also be infected)

Be sure to treat your dog with a heartworm preventative medicine. This disease does considerable damage to the heart.

Controlling Mosquitoes

There's no easy way to control them, especially during early season rainy periods when there's lots of standing water.

The best way to control mosquitoes is to eliminate the breeding sites. Frequently change the water in bird baths, fill in shallow holes in the ground, and drain large ditches where water can stand for several days.

Trash cans, wheel barrows, pet dishes, flower pot bottoms, old tires, cans, buckets, and plastic sheets are other locations to check and drain if necessary (old tires are notorious mosquito breeding grounds.

Unclog rain gutters, drain flat roofs, repair leaky faucets and ensure that air conditioning discharge water drains properly.

Fill tree holes and fill in cracks in tree stumps.

Unfortunately, there's not much that you can do about swamps and slow moving streams.

Controlling Mosquito Larvae

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) mosquito dunks have a successful record of killing larvae. Beneficial nematodes are another option.

Protecting Yourself From Mosquito Bites

Mosquitoes are most active in the evening hours, so avoid being outdoors during these hours.

If these pests are really bad in your area, you may have to wear long pants and long sleeves, and a hat, to reduce bites.

The most effective repellents contain DEET. The higher the percentage of DEET in the product, the longer the protection lasts. Unfortunately, DEET is very toxic, especially if used on a regular basis.

Citronella oil products will give some relief.

Bats are great for mosquito control. They eat their weight in insects every night. Birds like purple martins also help by eating their weight in insects.

If this page was valuable for you, please share your new knowledge. Click Like...