Mosquitoes 101

Mosquitoes. They are the true pests of the summer months. Always ruining our outdoor activities with their buzzing and biting, our swatting and smacking, not to mention that smelly bug spray – gross! Why are they even around? Where do they come from and, more importantly, how do we get rid of them?

Here's the scoop on these buzzing pests:

Where do mosquitoes come from?

Mosquitoes are believed to have been around for about 226 million years, surpassing humans by a landslide (we’ve only been around for about 300,000 years). They serve as food for fish, birds, and bats. They also serve as pollinators for many different flowers. Out of 3,500 species of mosquitoes, there are only a couple hundred that feed on human blood, which is how they transmit diseases from host to host.

Why do mosquitoes feed on blood?

The female mosquitoes are the gender that feeds on blood. Come dusk, female mosquitoes come alive, looking for a meal in order to lay their eggs. They will feed on just about any warm-blooded creature, but they tend to like humans best since our skin is less protected. Many animals are covered with hair or fur, making it more difficult to reach the skin. Normally, females do not live more than two weeks in the wild, and they will often mate several times before their short life comes to an end. Male mosquitoes typically only live for 5-7 days, feeding on nectar and various other sources of sugar.

Where can you find mosquitoes around your home?

Any damp or moist areas, especially with standing water. A lot of rainfall means that there is going to be an excess of locations where mosquitoes can lay their eggs. Standing water can gather in many places, so walk around your property and empty any containers or other places that water may have collected, including planter dishes, gutters, watering cans, pet dishes, bird baths, or children’s outdoor play equipment. Mosquitoes don’t need a lot of water to lay eggs, so be sure to be thorough.

Mosquitoes generally find a cool place during the day to hide from the sun and predators, such as bushes, small plants, long grasses, and the lower portions of trees. If disturbed, mosquitoes will come out to feed, but are usually not as active during the day as they are at dusk.

How can you get rid of mosquitoes?

While removing standing water around your property is good practice, it will not eliminate them entirely, so it's a good idea to have your landscape treated for mosquitoes. They don’t fly much higher than 10 feet, so concentrate on bushes, hedge rows, lower branches of trees, and even the trunks of trees.

Spring Green Mosquito Control

Spring Green offers mosquito control services in most locations, so contact your local Spring Green office to schedule this service. Don't let those pests ruin your outdoor fun this summer!