Mosquitos

The tiny mosquito is one of the fiercest pests known to humankind. It's also one of the most resilient--surviving floods, fires and volcanic eruptions only to buzz, bite and annoy people in the summer months and any day it is warm enough for a mosquito to become active. Thousands of mosquito species populate the world, and dozens of species live near towns and cities of all sizes, just waiting for someone to bite.

Regardless of the species, a mosquito problem can escalate quickly, putting you and your pets in danger of countless bites, and possible diseases and viruses these mosquitoes can transmit. The best prevention is education, so learn how to be rid of mosquitoes with advice from the MosquitoNix® Library, including using the portable Permanent Outdoor Insect Misting System.

Every state in the U.S. is home to dozens of mosquito species, and many communities have ongoing mosquito control programs designed to cut down on the mosquito population. You have probably seen a big truck spraying the streets and neighborhoods at night, wondering what they are doing. Those are probably your city pest control trucks spraying to try to combat the problem. Despite these efforts, infestations continue popping up in various areas, and it's not unusual to be bitten by these bloodsucking insects while you relax outside in your yard.

This is worrisome because mosquitoes are known disease carriers, and a single bite can infect you or a loved one with Malaria, Encephalitis, West Nile Virus, Yellow Fever or Zika Virus. Some people are also allergic to the bites themselves, or could develop Skeeter syndrome. Only females are biters, and out of the millions born each year, only a small percentage of adult mosquitoes are disease carriers. Still, enough of the females are flying around to cause small and large disease outbreaks among humans. Not only humans need to steer clear of mosquito bites. Your pets are also at risk of being bitten by heartworm-carrying mosquitoes.

Eliminating a pesky mosquito problem requires fast and decisive action. Eliminating or reducing the mosquito population in your yard can help prevent the spread of infectious diseases. One way to prevent mosquitoes from biting is to apply a generous amount of chemical insect repellent on uncovered areas of skin and outer clothing. This short-term solution works until the repellent wears off, and it must be re-applied periodically to avoid bites. Just like sunscreen, if mosquito repellant isn't used per the directions, it could be like not even having it on at all.

Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water, so be sure to dump out all sources of standing water outside your home. This means anything that has even a few tablespoons of water, like lawn furniture, pet dishes or children's toys. If you can't dump the water out, chemicals can be added to the water to kill mosquito larvae before adults emerge. Bug sprays and candles containing citronella oil and other ingredients can temporarily help ward off mosquito attacks if you will only be outside for a short time.

Another good idea is to wear loose-fitting clothes that cover your arms and legs, making it more difficult for mosquitoes to find your skin. And since mosquitoes are not great at flying, to shoo them away while your family is outside, bring a fan out to keep the bugs off a flight path to you.

Because mosquitoes can come from neighboring areas, it's hard trying to keep them off your property using conventional methods. Torrential rains and flooding can quickly bring overwhelming mosquito troubles to your home, and since weather can be unpredictable, you could end up with mosquitoes and other bugs in your yard when you normally wouldn't. Our MosquitoNix team is ready to battle your mosquito problem using our proven pest removal methods. Let our caring and respectful team treat your property with our proven insect removal formulas. Choose our MosquitoNix Green option for a completely biodegradable bug removal system or let us help you find the solution and plan that is right for your family. Contact us today to speak with a service professional and to set up a free consultation. Whatever your outdoor space looks like or what your family's needs are, the team at MosquitoNix knows how to take care of you.

FAQs:

Mosquitoes are flying insects that feed on blood from living animals, including humans and domestic pets. Only female mosquitoes are able to bite a host, and a blood meal is required for breeding. A female mosquito can live as long as five months in moist conditions, but they can only have a life span of around six weeks. Male mosquitoes usually live about seven days, but could only live as short as 72 hours if they can't find the right conditions to live.

The short answer is that you can't completely eliminate mosquitoes from your yard. All you can do is reduce the number of mosquitoes in your yard by eliminating standing water and treating your yard chemically. While this will greatly reduce the number of mosquitoes you see, insects will still come onto your property from adjoining areas. It is about taking away the habitats and possibly breeding grounds for these bugs, so they want to look elsewhere.

There are many animals that eat mosquitoes, but few make them the main part of their diets. Bats are one notable exception. The mosquito-hunting machines are active at dusk when mosquitoes are plentiful. Other animals that feast on mosquitoes include the purple martin, dragonflies, spiders, turtle, ducks, frogs, birds like the American robin or blackpoll warbler and fish like bluegills or guppies.