Mosquitoes are blood-sucking insects that can infest your home, particularly in summer. Even a puddle of water following a rain can attract these little vampires to your home. Any reservoir or pond near your house or a decorative bird bath can capture the attention of mosquitoes and other insects. You will never want to have mosquitoes in your house due to the health threat they pose. Thankfully, pest control Round Rock can protect your family from these disease transmitters.
The Dangerous of Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes are carriers of dangerous microbes. A bite from them can lead to the transmission of diseases that may impact you forever. Dengue fever, malaria, Leishmania, and West Nile are among the diseases they can transmit. While other insects can bite and sting, mosquitoes can give a deadly bite. Thus, before you think that these pests are only a nuisance, you must fully understand how dangerous it can be to encounter them. fortunately, there are many steps you can take to prevent and reduce the population of mosquitoes around your house.
Common Myths about Mosquitoes
A lot of people think that mosquitoes love blood; however, they do not need it for survival. It is important to know that male mosquitoes feed on nectar. But if female mosquitoes lay eggs, they need blood to carry out this process. Thus, the one that has been chasing you is a female mosquito. Once a female mosquito lays eggs, she will look for more blood to continue the fertility process. This mosquito only lives to reproduce and she only has a two-week lifespan.
Another misconception about mosquitoes is that crane flies are mosquitoes. However, these flies can’t bite you. While they look like mosquitoes, they are beneficial to have around. These insects feed on bugs and pests that you want to control.
Mosquito Prevention and Control
Before pest control experts implement control measures, they focus on prevention and control. They will thoroughly inspect your house to identify breeding sites and determine the specific species present. Then, they decide on the right strategies to employ. Mosquito control methods they can use include the following:
- Source reduction. This involves getting rid of or modifying mosquito breeding sites to prevent them from reproducing. They may advise you to get rid of standing water from all containers, ensure proper drainage, and repair leaky pipes to minimize the accumulation of stagnant water that triggers the development of mosquito larvae.
- Chemical control. When dealing with mosquitoes, technicians may use adulticides or larvicides. Adulticides are used to control adult mosquitoes while larvicides target mosquito larvae. Typically, adulticides are applied as fogging or spray treatments. Larvicides come in the form of granules, liquid formulations, or pellets.
- Ultra-low volume fogging. This is often employed in outdoor areas that have dense vegetation or hard-to-reach areas. This kills adult mosquitoes right away and offers instant relief from them.
Preventing Future Mosquito Issues
To keep your home or property free of mosquitoes, you must eliminate standing water. A lot of female mosquitoes lay eggs in standing water. It takes just one week for mosquitoes to become adults, so eliminating any standing water on the property can help minimize the population of these insects.
In addition, you should clean up debris. Some mosquitoes lay eggs in debris like leaf piles and decaying logs as well as in damp soil. Also, get rid of leaves from your gutters. If mosquitoes still infest your property and your yard is well-shaded, consider trimming your trees to increase light levels. This will make the landscape less habitable to mosquitoes. Your pest control technician can provide you with other tips to keep mosquitoes at bay.