A Useful Mosquito Prevention Guide For Sarasota County Homeowners
8/3/2022
Summertime is an itchy, creepy, crawly time of year in Sarasota County. Mosquitoes, insects that look like mosquitoes, and predators that eat mosquitoes come out when the sun goes down. It can be difficult to keep mosquitoes out of your yard, but the Sarasota County pest control professionals want to help. Find out here what role mosquitoes play in your environment, followed by six easy steps you can take to prevent mosquitoes.
The Role Mosquitoes Play In Our Ecosystem
Mosquitoes are insects at the bottom of the food chain, and total pest control includes mosquito control. Mosquitoes are active pollinators, and they have plenty of predators. Because mosquitoes play a rather large role in our ecosystems, sensible pest control is important. The overuse of insecticides happens because of the unskilled application of broad-spectrum insect treatments sold in stores. Due to their impact on the environment, only professionals should handle pesticides.
The Dangerous Diseases Mosquitoes Are Known To Spread
These biting pests have a reputation for spreading many of the world’s most notorious diseases through the transfer of blood. Only breeding females take a blood meal, while male mosquitoes only eat nectar. Diseases spread by mosquitoes include:
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Chikungunya
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Dengue
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Encephalitis
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Malaria
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West Nile virus
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Yellow fever
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Zika virus
Not all species of mosquitoes carry diseases, and none are born with them. These pests pick up the diseases they harbor from an infected mammal or bird and carry them to the next host. When a mosquito bites, it injects a mixture of DNA and saliva into the site to act as an anticoagulant for its meal. It is this substance that leads to a virus transfer.
Six Eco-Friendly Mosquito Prevention Tips
The number one mosquito reducer is to get rid of standing water around your home. Mosquitoes lay their baby mosquitoes in water, and that’s where they stay for three-quarters of their life. When they have adequate water, eggs hatch within a few days. However, a muddy spot will hold them over for a couple of months if the conditions are not ideal. Once the eggs have hatched, they turn into larvae, then pupa, and then into an adult, all within one week. It happens relatively quickly, so aerators and total elimination of unused water sites are ideal over periodically dumping water. If you are trying to prevent mosquitoes, here are six eco-friendly tips:
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Eliminate standing water, and add aerators to pools, dog water bowls, and birdbaths.
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Plant marigolds, lavender, or lemon balm.
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Light a citronella candle.
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Use peppermint or lemon eucalyptus oil on your skin as a deterrent.
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Fan away mosquitoes with an oscillating fan. They aren’t strong flyers.
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Wear long sleeves and long pants and avoid being outside at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.
Mosquitoes can be an annoying pest, and in some extreme cases, swarms of hungry breeding females can surely ruin a good night outside. Since mosquitoes play such an active role in our ecosystems, it is best to lean on the expertise of professionals if you have a problem with this pest or are planning an outdoor event. To avoid the improper use of pesticides, call your local pest management professional; we are trained, knowledgeable, and skilled at handling insecticides.
The Most Effective Mosquito Control For Sarasota County Homes
If you’re overrun with mosquitoes or are planning an outdoor event, give us a call! Mosquitoes can be tough to get rid of quickly. The methods used to prevent mosquitoes are effective when used proactively, but may not work well if there is already an active mosquito population. Give Keller’s Pest Control a call today if you need mosquito treatment. We have more than two decades of experience managing local pests, and we’ve seen what works. We guarantee friendly service with effective treatment.
