Mosquito control is an important factor in eliminating mosquito-bourne diseases. If you live in the South Florida area, here are five things that you need to know about some of the winged inhabitants.
1. How Many Types of Mosquito Live in Florida?
There are in fact more species of mosquito in Florida than any other state in the U.S. Approximately eighty different types of mosquito live here because of the year-round warm weather. And thirty-three of the species poses a serious threat to human and animal health.
2. What are the Most Common Types?
Yellow fever and Asian tiger mosquitoes are two of the most common species found in this area, although both of these little pests are not indigenous to Florida or America. The yellow fever mosquito originally came from Africa and the Asian tiger mosquito, as the name suggests, came from Asia.
3. How to Identify These Mosquitoes
The yellow fever adult mosquito is around 4 to 7 millimeters in length and has a dark brown or black body which sometimes has white scales. The tarsal segment of each of the hind legs has a white band marking. The Asian tiger mosquito is between 2 to 10 millimeters in length. It has black and silver scales and its abdomen narrows to a point, which is its defining feature.
4. Mosquito-Bourne Diseases
In the Florida region, there are three main mosquito-bourn diseases that pose a threat to human health. These include West Nile Virus (WNV), Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus(EEEV) and St. Louis Encephalitis (SLEV).
- WNV has been present in South Florida for around two decades and 80 percent of people with this virus display no symptoms at all while only 1 percent suffer some kind of neurological damage.
- EEEV is one of the most dangerous mosquito-borne diseases in Florida. Those under fifteen and over fifty typically develop the worse symptoms and around 37 percent of those who develop encephalitis will die.
- Most people who have been infected with SLEV experience no symptoms, although some will get a headache and in the worst case will go on to develop meningitis or encephalitis.
5. How to Protect Yourself
- Wear mosquito repellant
- Wear long sleeves and trousers
- Cover windows and doors with screens
- Drain any standing water from around your property
A mosquito misting system is a great solution for eliminating mosquitoes from around your home. MosquitoNix is EPA approved and it doesn’t harm bees. It’s also safe for children, dogs, and cats and it is completely biodegradable. If you would like further assistance with a mosquito problem, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
If you need help in eliminating these pesky biting insects from your yard, our MosquitoNix® Team in Southeast Florida from Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, & Miami are here to help!
