Very few people escape mosquito bites when enjoying a summer evening concert, day hike in the woods, or BBQ at home. Often you can hear them buzzing before you experience the bite itself.
What is a mosquito?
mosquito sucks blood on the arm, annoying pest, harmful insect
Mosquitoes are pests that arguably are disliked by all people. They are annoying, and mosquito bites create those identifiable pink or red bumps covering our arms and legs after outdoor events. Mosquitoes are often misunderstood, but here is their resume:
COMMON NAME: Mosquitoes
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Culicidae
TYPE: Invertebrates
DIET: Carnivore
GROUP NAME: Swarm
AVERAGE LIFE SPAN: 2 weeks to 6 months
SIZE: 0.125 to 0.75 inches
WEIGHT: 0.000088 ounces
Are mosquito bites dangerous?
Mosquito bites can make you sick. According to cdc.gov:
Disease epidemics from viruses spread by mosquitoes are happening more often, including recent dengue outbreaks in many countries worldwide, the Zika epidemic (2015-2017), and the chikungunya epidemic (2013-2014). West Nile virus is the most common virus spread by mosquitoes in the continental United States. In the United States, people can also get sick from less common viruses spread by mosquitoes, like Eastern equine encephalitis or St. Louis encephalitis.
When do I seek medical attention from mosquito bites?
Mosquito bite on the leg. Insects in the summer. Dangerous nature. Itchy body.
Most mosquito bites go away after a few days without intervention. On rare occasions, however, mosquitoes are known to transmit diseases, including the West Nile virus. If you have body aches, diarrhea, fever, headaches, nausea, or other symptoms that appear within about two weeks of the bites and seem to be related, contact your primary care doctor.
How do you protect yourself against mosquito bites?
You know the old saying, an ounce of prevention, well it is true.
- Use an Environmental Protection Agency-registered insect repellent that contains one or more of these ingredients:
- DEET
- Picaridin
- IR3535
- Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE)
- Para-menthane-diol (PMD)
- 2-undecanone
- Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
- Treat items, such as boots, pants, socks, and tents, with permethrin or use permethrin-treated clothing and gear.
- Take steps to control ticks and fleas on pets.
- Find and remove ticks daily from family and pets.
- Take steps to control mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas inside and outside your home.
Protecting your home from mosquitoes and many other backyard pests.
Installing mosquito net, mosquito wire screen on brick house window.
Keep it clean– plain and simple. Mosquitoes love water and damp, dark areas of debris. Mosquitoes can survive and breed in as little as a teaspoon of water.
- Remove standing, stagnant water wherever possible.
- Do not leave yard waste or dead foliage rotting in your yard and around your home.
- Check to ensure your screens are in good condition and mitigate all entry points near windows or doors.
- Remove old junk and properly dispose of trash and garbage.
- Display plants that repel mosquitoes: eucalyptus, mint, lavender, and marigolds!
- Check your gutters for standing water and ensure water from the gutters runs away from your home.
Mosquitoes need water to breed.
The sun comes out after a weekend of rain, and you see large areas of standing water in your yard. You may not give that much thought, but mosquitoes certainly do! They lay their eggs or larvae and wait for the sun to warm up the ground and release those mosquitoes into your yard and outdoor living area.
Avoid using store-bought treatments for mosquitoes and mosquito bites.
When dealing with pesticides, always trust a professional. We offer green and organic products for ticks and mosquitoes upon request. In addition, our technicians at Accurate Pest Control offer the following methods for tick management and removal:
- Granular applications: The most common method is applying granular treatment to the lawn and surrounding brush.
- Fogging applications: Fogging applications to the brush perimeter is highly effective.
- One-time/weekly service. We offer one-time services before a big event. This can include both tick and mosquito services. In addition, we provide a one-time fogging service to help reduce the population before an event. We can also install dunks into bodies of water if applicable. Our technicians will review safe treatment options with you.
We recommend, at minimum, a monthly treatment plan from May through September. We provide fogging services for your yard, brush perimeter, and/or dense landscaping. It is recommended to perform this service in regular intervals throughout the summer months. Treatments on a consistent and regular basis are critical for success. Prices will be determined upon inspection.
We are here to protect you, your family, and your pets. If you are unsure if you have a tick infestation, give us a quick call at 518.374.0357, and we can take a look and discuss treatment options with you, if necessary.
resources: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/facts/mosquitoes and https://www.fairview.org/blog/When-to-worry-or-not-worry-about-a-bug-bite and https://www.cdc.gov/
