Everyone from hardcore vegans to meat lovers enjoys a good cookout. Nobody, however, is enthusiastic about sharing their BBQ with pests like mosquitoes.
These insects are more than mere nuisances that buzz annoyingly around your face and leave itchy bite marks everywhere. They’re also vectors for numerous infectious diseases, including Zika virus, dengue fever, malaria and West Nile virus. If you’re smart, you’ll limit your contact with these tiny bloodsuckers.
Is It Possible to Avoid Mosquitoes?
Mosquitoes may seem like something you just have to accept in many parts of South Florida. In reality, living with infestations isn’t a foregone conclusion. Understanding how mosquitoes work makes them easier to stop.
The Mosquito Lifecycle
These insects transition through four distinct stages during their lives. The cycle begins when adult females deposit fertile eggs in still water, such as puddles, lake edges, marshlands or even your home’s drainage and gutters.
When ready, the eggs hatch into swimming larvae. After a few days or a couple weeks of development, they take on a more adult-like form called the pupa. Finally, they become the flying, bloodsucking adults that ruin your fun outdoors.
The Need for Moisture
It’s important to note that the first three stages depend on the presence of water. While some species can enter a dormant state and survive dry seasons until moisture reappears, removing non-flowing water from around your home is essential to controlling mosquitoes.
Without standing water, adults won’t have any place to deposit their eggs. Existing larvae and pupae may even dry out and die from the stress. These factors can dramatically cut down their numbers.
Mosquito Varieties
All mosquitoes follow the same general development lifecycle, but these insects are amazingly diverse. Scientists have identified more than 3,500 distinct species worldwide.
Another common characteristic of all mosquito families is that only adult females suck blood, although both sexes consume plant fluids and nectar. Bloodsucking permits females to gain the proteins and nutrients they require to create eggs.
Other Factors That Attract Infestations
Scientists have identified numerous factors that may increase your risk of getting bitten. For instance, if you’re pregnant, emit lots of body heat, possess type O blood or breathe heavily, you might be bite-prone.
Species like Aedes aegypti, the yellow fever mosquito, are drawn to stagnant water sources in the home, such as wet bathroom floors and toilet tanks. Varieties in the common Culiseta genus may be attracted by the presence of pets, birds, pests such as rats or livestock.
You may not mind a few bites here and there. Still, cutting down on mosquitoes can prevent the spread of serious diseases, not to mention make your friends more likely to accept your cookout invitations. Begin your journey to comprehensive pest control by contacting Mosquitonix South Florida today.
