A Guide to Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes have been plaguing people throughout all known time. Not only do they cause itchy bites that can be annoying, there are responsible for spreading a number of serious illnesses. The threat is so serious and ongoing that most communities and countries have extensive mosquito control programs which help to combat the outbreaks. There are still outbreaks each year in countries across the world of illnesses like Yellow fever and dengue fever. In order to combat mosquitoes, it is important to understand mosquitoes.

The Life Cycle of Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes lay their eggs in water. After the eggs hatch, the mosquitoes are larvae and they spend time in the water until they become pupae and then hatch from that stage. At this point, the mosquitoes are adults and will begin flying around. The male mosquitoes feed on nectar, while the female mosquitoes need a blood meal so that they lay their eggs. Mosquitoes can lay up to two hundred eggs at a time.

Prevent Mosquitoes

Once you understand that the life cycle of mosquitoes is so dependent on water, you can see that there are steps you can take to help prevent mosquitoes. One of the most important things you can do is to address any standing water that may collect in your yard in old buckets, hole sin stumps or in rocks. Mosquitoes only need a capful of water in order to breed and go through the different stages. If you can address the standing water, you will help to prevent mosquitoes.

You can also keep your lawn short and your bushes trimmed back. This will help the ground to dry out more quickly. It also helps by providing fewer places for the mosquitoes to find harborage. Another option is to have a mosquito control treatment applied to your yard every three weeks. This will kill adult mosquitoes and prevent new ones from coming in your yard.

Why and How to Protect Yourself from Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes will carry a number of different illnesses. The West Nile virus and St. Louise encephalitis are issues in the United States. The Zika virus may spread north and become an issue as well. In addition to preventing mosquitoes in your yard, you should protect yourself when you are out and about. Wearing mosquito repellent is key to doing this. This option is safe for infants as young as two months. If you have a younger baby, you can use mosquito netting or keep the baby indoors.

Comments

Can Tick Bites Really Cause an Allergy to Meat?

In the past few years there have been increasing reports of people developing allergies to meat after being bitten by a tick. This is formerly called an Alpha Gel allergy. Researchers in Virginia were among the first to discover it through clinical trials for a medication. Some patients were having a reaction to one component in the medication and would have similar allergic reactions to red meat or meat from mammals. Some people even have reactions to dairy products. What Tick Causes the Allergic Reaction? The Lone Star tick is the only tick that is currently known to spread the allergy to meat. The ticks are common in areas with high deer populations, since the Lone Star tick prefers to feed on the deer. You can identify a tick by looking at its back for a white dot in the center. If you find a tick attached to you, you will need to remove it right away, and then watch for symptoms. How Can I Tell if I Have an Allergy to Meat? The symptoms for the meat allergy will build over time....

Will the East Asian Tick Spread to the Arlington Area This Year?

The East Asian tick has made the news in the last few days because it is a new tick species that was identified as being in the United States this year. It was first identified last fall, but efforts were made to eradicate it. Unfortunately, scientists have determined that those efforts did not work, and the species has been established in New Jersey. Why Are People Concerned About the East Asian Tick? It is an extremely invasive species that originated in Asia. When it first spread to Australia it causes significant problems for farmers there. The ticks are often found around farms animals, but they can also be found on large animals like deer. The East Asian tick does carry the SFTS virus, which is a new virus that was first discovered in 2009. It has potential for serious complications and scientists worry about a potential outbreak. How Does the East Asian Tick Spread? The experts are not sure how the East Asian tick made its way to the United States. However, once it is...

Bee Safety and Mosquito Control

As the weather warms up and insect activity increases, both outdoor enthusiasts and casual lawn-goers alike are faced with similar challenges: how to manage mosquito populations without harming beneficial insects in the process. Protecting bees and other pollinators doesn’t require sacrificing your summer to the indoors, or risking discomfort and disease from feeding mosquitoes. Through incorporating preventative measures and the responsible application of products, it is possible to take your yard back from mosquitoes without dangerously impacting your local pollinators. The Importance of Protecting Pollinators The global decline in pollinator species -- both in diversity and population -- is widespread cause for concern. Insect pollinators play an essential role in the reproduction of many wild and food crop plant species, and bees in particular contribute to the success of the world’s most important human food crops. However, wild and domestic bee numbers have been droppi...

Mosquito Tek

Search This Blog