The Most Common Mosquito Types in Pensacola, FL and How to Avoid Them
A lot of people head to Florida for the sunshine and warm weather all year long. But with the warm weather comes something no sane human being actually enjoys-bugs. Mosquitos are a curse the summer brings, but when you live in an area where the mosquitos thrive all year long, you want to know as much about them as you can to take action when and where you need to. If you call Pensacola, Florida home, or spend enough time there to feel like it, you should know about the most common types of mosquitos and how to avoid them.
The Most Common Mosquitos
Just like you won't see Vermont moose wandering around Indiana, certain types of mosquitos stick to the Florida sun. While all mosquitos are annoying, these are the mosquitos that make things miserable in Florida.
Asian Tiger Mosquitos
Asian Tiger Mosquitos are daytime suckers that have white and black striped bodies. These trace back to a shipment of tires from Asia to the U.S. back in 1986 and have made Pensacola their home. These tend to stay close to their eggs, so they don't travel far from their breeding grounds. These transport Yellow Fever, Chikungunya, Zika and Dengue.
Black Salt Marsh Mosquitos
If you thought mosquitos give up at night, the Black Salt Marsh Mosquitos come out to play. These are defined by the bands of white scales on their tiny bodies. They usually stay around salt flats, hence the name and their eggs could stay dormant for years, which is not fun for those who live in the area.
Culex Mosquitos
From dusk till dawn, the Culex Mosquitos take over. Their grayish bodies are covered in iridescent scales. This mosquito makes a huge appearance in late summer and search out freshwater areas for their breeding ground. These can carry St. Louis Encephalitis and West Nile Virus.
These are the top three when it comes to the ones that carry and spread diseases the most. There are plenty of other bugs to smack.
- Anopheles Crucians
- Psorophora Columbiae and Psorophora Ferox
- Yellow Fever Mosquito
- Mansonia Titillans and Mansonia Dyari
- Four-Legged Galinipper
- Aedes Atlanticus
- Aedes Sollicitans
- Aedes Infirmatus
How Best to Avoid Mosquitos
While you could try to stay inside as much as possible, that's not fun. There are things you can do to avoid mosquitos or make sure they don't like your yard as much as someone else's.
Check For Standing Water
Mosquitos live for standing water. They thrive in it. It is their breeding ground and they lay their eggs there. Some types don't stray far from their eggs or where they hatched, which makes the water they like even more precious.
The first thing you should do after every rainstorm, humid day or just for fun is to go outside and check your property for standing water. Dump anything that has collected even the tiniest bit of water and make sure there aren't any new puddles or pools that weren't there before.
Call in For Help When Needed
You don't have to suffer while outside and you don't have to hide inside. There are pest control options for a short-term solution or long-term treatment to get rid of pesky flying insects. Not only will these treatments last longer and be more effective than the stuff you buy at the store, but you will also have a guarantee from an insured professional if anything goes wrong.
Take Care of Your Lawn
Living in a place where you have to mow all year long might be exhausting and cause you to want to skip a few weeks here and there, but that leads to more mosquitos. Keeping a short, healthy lawn takes away the places mosquitos like to hide, which is in tall grass.
Keep a Fan Outside
A low-cost way to keep the mosquitos away from you when you are outside is to have a fan outside. The wind will bother them more than they will bother you. Plus, it's Florida, so an outside fan isn't ever a bad idea. They might be big biters, but they are terrible flyers, and a fan will do the trick.
Protect Your Home
To keep these annoying things from getting into your home, check your house for any holes around your windows and doors. Inspect all screens in your house for tears or spots mosquitos could get through. Checking and repairing these regularly will keep those bugs outside so that when you come in for a break from the heat, you come in alone.
Why You Should Avoid Mosquitos
From kids to pets to yourself, mosquitos pose a danger for everyone. Bug bites absolutely drive you crazy but scratching them can lead to open wounds that could get infected. It is horrible to watch a little one constantly scratch at a bite, and you know how badly they keep you awake at night when all you can do is scratch them.
But the biggest thing about mosquitos is they carry diseases. No one wants to be sick or see someone in their family get sick over a mosquito bite. You never know which group of mosquitos is carrying something or if the one that bit you just transferred a virus to you. It's almost too scary to think about, but it's best to just keep the bugs away.
While Florida has some of the most beautiful beaches for a lovely stroll, the state also has some of the most vicious and aggressive mosquitos. Know how to keep your family protected, your yard clear and yourself outside enjoying the warm weather for as long as possible when you know how to avoid Pensacola, Florida's most irritating bugs.
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