Lawrenceville residents do a lot of things to get rid of mosquitoes in their yards, and many of them just don't get the job done. Have you noticed? Have you tried getting some candles, a few torches, or planted lots of plants that mosquitoes hate? Are mosquitoes still biting you? There is a good reason why these methods don't work on mosquitoes in Lawrenceville. It has to do with why mosquitoes bite you. Let's take a look at this and other natural behavior patterns that relate to mosquitoes and mosquito control. We'll quickly look at why mosquito control is important and offer up five smart tips for mosquito prevention. As always, help is available if you need it. Your ProCare Pest Services team can help you reduce the number of mosquitoes on your property. We offer advanced, science-based pest control in Lawrenceville and address mosquitoes at the source of your problem. Call, text, or reach out to us through our contact page.
About The Mosquito Life Cycle
Different mosquitoes are slightly different in how they behave, but all mosquitoes share some general behavior patterns that relate to their life cycle. Understanding the life cycle of mosquitoes can unlock the mosquito control mystery and make your yard more enjoyable.
There are three key factors to consider:
- Mosquito Mating: We pointed out above that mosquito repellents don't work well to stop mosquitoes. The reason is that mosquitoes are just looking for a meal. If all you were was one of several meals, a mosquito might wait for the next available meal, rather than deal with a smell it doesn't like. But biting you is a matter of species survival. There is a lot at stake. Only females draw blood, and they do so for the purpose of reproduction. A female mosquito isn't going to take no for an answer. She may bite you even if you have mosquito repellent on. Have you noticed?
- Mosquito Eggs: Another reason repellents don't work well is that they don't target the source of the problem. Mosquitoes enter your yard and lay eggs a hundred at a time. As the population of mosquitoes grows, so does the chance that a mosquito will find its way past your defenses. The professional term for this is mosquito pressure. Mosquito reduction reduces the pressure and makes it less likely that a mosquito will make contact with you. Professional mosquito control goes one step further and deals with mosquito eggs. We'll talk about that in a moment.
- Mosquito Resting: When mosquitoes hatch from their eggs, they will look for places to rest. They don't fly around in the air all day long. That requires too much energy, and it also exposes them to the drying effects of the sun. Where do mosquitoes rest? They prefer vegetation for several reasons. Vegetation can block the sun, provide humidity for hydration, and offer a source of food. What food? Both male and female mosquitoes eat nectar from flowers and draw plant sap out of stems and leaves. Mosquito control should consider mosquito resting places. If they don't, mosquitoes will freely grow their populations and apply more pressure to get past your repellents and bite you.
Mosquitoes seem like mysterious insects, until you know these simple facts. Now, you're armed with the knowledge to fight back against those little biters. But, before we discuss mosquito prevention, let's look at why it is so important to take steps to reduce the number of mosquitoes and prevent mosquito bites. It may give you the motivation to do the hard work necessary.
How Mosquito Bites Spread Dangerous Diseases
We have good news and bad news when it comes to diseases carried by mosquitoes. You won't find a bunch of doom and gloom in this section. What you will find are some facts you didn't know that can give you some relief, but also make you want to get more vigilant about mosquito control in Lawrenceville.
- Not every mosquito that bites you can give you a virus. Some don't spread viruses at all. They just cause itchy wounds. That itch is caused by mosquito saliva.
- Most of the dangerous diseases spread by mosquitoes are tropical or subtropical and are not local to the United States. For example, malaria, Zika virus, and dengue fever are all mosquito-borne viruses that currently only spread during outbreaks. Watch the local news to track these outbreaks.
- In the United States, encephalitis is the greatest concern with mosquitoes. The most common and dangerous disease is West Nile virus. But the threat is statistically low considering the number of cases and the size of the population in the United States. But it is best to take caution. If you or someone you love has flu-like symptoms and a headache, keep in mind that encephalitis is a swelling of the brain, which is associated with a headache.
- You can get infected with a mosquito-borne virus and have no symptoms, even if you contract a dangerous virus, like Zika or malaria. Demonstrating no symptoms is called being asymptomatic. When you are asymptomatic, you can carry the disease without realizing it.
Do you see the nature of the problem? Great. Now, we can set our sights on fixing that problem. Let's take a look at five tips to help you prevent mosquito bites in your yard. These tips require no specialized knowledge in pest control.
Five No-Nonsense Mosquito Prevention Tips
While it will likely tempt you to use things that repel mosquitoes, you should recognize that they're just not effective. The best way to control mosquitoes around your Lawrenceville home is to target the source of the problem. You need to consider mosquito-breeding sites and resting areas.
You also need to take personal precautions:
- Remove Stagnant Water: The most important step you can take is to remove breeding sites. If female mosquitoes can't find an appropriate place to lay eggs, they may not lay a swarm of mosquitoes on your property.
- Remove objects that capture rainwater.
- Pour out rainwater in objects that stay in your yard.
- Use a tarp to keep rainwater from collecting on outdoor objects.
- Turn over any kiddie pools when not in use.
- Landscape Management: Mosquitoes are looking for a place to hide and food to eat. When you roll your sleeves up and manage the plants around your home, you can reduce both of these.
- Remove weeds in your landscaping and apply weed control for your lawn.
- Remove unnecessary vegetation, such as unwanted grass in your landscaping.
- Consider swapping out plants that attract mosquitoes and replacing them with plants that repel mosquitoes.
- Address Perimeter Moisture: Mosquitoes are drawn to damp and humid habitats. When they explore your exterior, you want them to find it dry and uninteresting.
- Address gutter problems. The water pouring over or leaking out can saturate the ground, increasing humidity and causing puddles to form.
- Address plumbing issues. A leaking water hose or a dripping spigot can lure mosquitoes.
- Remove leaves, sticks, and other organic matter that can trap moisture and increase humidity.
- Change Your Behavior: There are a few reasons why mosquitoes will bite one person rather than another. If you know why mosquitoes bite, you can alter conditions that make you a target.
- Mosquitoes are most active at dawn and dusk; avoid going out during these times to reduce exposure.
- Mosquitoes are more attracted to a person who has been drinking beer, even just one beer. Refrain from drinking outdoors.
- Mosquitoes are attracted to sweat and elevated skin temperature. Avoid exercising outdoors if possible.
- Protect Yourself: There are some tried and true methods for reducing mosquito bites. These shouldn't surprise you, but they bear mentioning.
- Create an outdoor recreation area that is protected by screens to keep mosquitoes out.
- Wear a long-sleeved shirt and pants to reduce skin exposure.
- When relaxing on your back deck, consider using a strong fan to keep mosquitoes off.
That's it. If you take these steps, you'll have the best mosquito prevention possible without the use of control products. But, when control products are needed, contact a licensed professional for the appropriate selection and application of control materials.
Pro Mosquito Control Offers The Best Protection For Your Yard
When you contact ProCare Pest Services, what can you expect? Why do we offer the best protection for your yard? Because we target the source of your problem and we use the most trusted products and methods to get this tough job done right.
- We apply mist treatments between April and October to reset mosquito populations and directly target mosquitoes in resting areas.
- We can install mosquito traps that provide desirable breeding sites for female mosquitoes. These work to eliminate the females and their eggs.
- We can address breeding sites on your property as needed by applying products that target mosquito development and stop baby mosquitoes from turning into flying (and biting) adult mosquitoes.
- We offer seasonal mosquito control or one-time treatments before outdoor events, making special occasions so much nicer.
Are you in Lawrenceville? Contact ProCare Pest Services today for help with mosquitoes and to learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services in Lawrenceville. We offer science-based and ecofriendly options to help you get the control you want.