Mosquitoes are in the same order as flies, but are part of the family Culicidae. Even the word “mosquito” is Spanish for “little fly”. These pests have small, slender, segmented bodies, one pair of wings, and elongated mouthparts. In most mosquito species, only the female has the long tube-like needle needed to pierce skin and feed on an unfortunate host.
Like other pests that feed on blood, these small critters can cause severe symptoms by passing disease from one host to another. Additionally, as mosquitoes draw blood, their saliva is transferred to their prey which can cause a painful, itchy rash. Some species can cause full on allergy attacks from injecting their saliva while others can be carriers of malaria, filariasis, or even yellow fever – to name a few. If you’re being eaten up by mosquitoes, call Etheridge Pest Services and stop the itching.
Tips for preventing Mosquitoes
The quickest way to find yourself dealing with a mosquito problem is by having standing water. Mosquitoes breed on still water. It only takes 14 days for a mosquito to hatch the next generation of pests, and they only need a small amount of water to do so. Some common outdoor areas with still water are bird baths, rain gutters, and unused flower pots.
If you have a lake or other body of water near your home, make sure there are mosquito-eating fish like minnows and guppies. If you have a bird bath or fountain, make sure to have some sort of moving water to prevent these sources from being a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
If you can, install mesh screens to windows and doors to act as a barrier to your home and keep flying pests out. Some people even go as far as getting insecticide treated mosquito nets to hang over their bed to keep them safe at night and take care of indoor mosquitoes.
Use inspect repellant spray when spending time outdoors. Focus on ankles, legs, feet, and wrists as these are the most commonly targeted locations by mosquitoes.
Wear light colored clothing when outdoors, as darker colored clothing attracts bugs. Wearing longer clothing also leaves less exposed skin for mosquitoes to land on.
Have proper hygeine. While it’s hard to say one thing in particular makes you more appealing to mosquitoes, a few things have shown to decrease your favorability. Drinking beer causes your body to emit an odor that attracts mosquitoes, as does emitting more CO2 (working out). Even just having body odor can make you attractive to mosquitoes.
When the mosquitoes are eating you up and you want to enjoy a nice sunny day outside, call Etheridge Pest Services and worry less about getting bit by bugs.