Mosquito

What Do They Look Like?

 

Mosquitoes belong to the same group as the true flies, Diptera. As such, they have a single pair of wings. They typically have long, thin legs and a head featuring a prominent proboscis. Mosquito bodies and wings most often are covered in tiny scales. Adult sizes may range from 3 to 9 mm.

Mosquitoes in the House
When these pests find their way inside through open doors or windows, they usually rest in dark, hidden areas within the house, but will come out at night to take a blood meal. Homeowners sometimes find mosquitoes under sinks or in closets and laundry rooms, but they are most common in backyards. Some species of mosquitoes like to rest in thick vegetation and wait for a suitable host to come near.

Mosquitoes in the Yard
Mosquitoes breed in standing water, so properties near ponds, marshes, and depressions that collect rainwater are at risk. Some mosquito species are active at different times of the day, but most emerge just before dusk and are active at night.

How Serious Are Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes can transmit several dangerous illnesses to humans, including Zika virus. This rare disease affects pregnant women and may lead to birth defects. More common in the U.S. are West Nile virus and several kinds of encephalitis. These mosquito-borne diseases may also have serious side effects. According to a recent CDC statement, the number of illnesses caused by mosquito bites tripled between 2004 and 2016.

Signs Of a Mosquito Infestation

Annoying signs of mosquito activity include the buzzing of the females and their bites. People have differing reactions to bites, ranging from mild irritation to intense inflammation and swelling.

Breeding in Water
Signs of mosquito nymphs are their presence in standing water, such as watering dishes of potted plants.

Professional Inspection
The mosquito treatment plan begins with your pest management professional conducting a thorough property inspection and identifying the kind of mosquitoes causing problems. Once the inspection and identification is complete, your pest management professional will prepare a mosquito treatment plan that provides recommendations and assistance for both source reduction and necessary chemical product use. Some of the source reduction recommendations might include:

  • Find Out Where They Are Coming From – Preparing a diagram of your property that shows the actual or potential mosquito development sites. Mosquito develop sites are normally identified as a natural or man-made site that will collect water. Some examples are low areas on the property that are prone to collecting water after rain, clogged rain gutters, flooded crawl spaces, water that pools around downspouts, water that collects in cans, child swimming pools, uncovered boats, tree holes or rubbish and debris that hold water.
  • Keep Them Out of the House – Providing recommendations to exclude mosquitoes from getting inside the home.
  • Eliminate Hiding Spots – Providing recommendations for vegetation management. This is important since many kinds of mosquitoes rest in vegetation around the home during the daylight hours.

Mosquito Treatments
Some chemical product uses that may be needed for mosquito treatment include:

  • Vegetation Treatments – Applying insecticides to vegetation that adult mosquitoes use for sheltered resting sites.
  • Water Treatments – Applying insect growth regulators that prevent mosquito development in their water environments.
  • Prevent Eggs From Hatching – Applying microbial insecticide products that cause mosquito mortality in their water environments.