How to Get Rid of Mosquitoes

There are more than 3,000 species of mosquitoes in the world, and they’re found in nearly every country and corner of Earth. Because they’re so ubiquitous and quick to bite humans, they’ve garnered an understandably terrible reputation.

They also transmit hundreds of infectious diseases – some of them known for being deadly – more than any other insect or creature. Because of this, mosquitoes have been consistently studied as part of public health research.

Some of the diseases that mosquitoes can cause include encephalitis, elephantiasis, malaria, yellow fever, dengue, and others. These are all serious diseases that can cause extreme symptoms and fatalities if they aren’t treated with medical attention, so it’s always important to consult a doctor if you begin to feel sick after finding a mosquito bite.

While it’s easy to agree that mosquitoes are one of the worst types of pests, they do have their own important place within the ecosystem. Without them, they would disrupt the process of pollination and slowly eradicate several species of plants.

All mosquitoes grow to an average range of 5-6 mm long, and their bodies are all made up of the same structure. They’re built up of three main components – the head, thorax, and the abdomen. They have six long and thin legs as well as a pair of wings. On their heads, they have a pair of antennae and an organ called a proboscis, which resembles a small straw. Through the proboscis, mosquitoes inject their saliva into their victims and use a small, serrated end to feed. If you’ve ever wondered why you don’t feel a mosquito bite until after it happens, it’s because their saliva contains a mild painkiller and anticoagulant.

Like many stinging and biting insects, mosquitoes have earned a worldwide reputation for causing aggravation and much worse.

You can find them almost everywhere in the warmer months, so even in temperate regions. Not only do a million people worldwide die from mosquito-borne diseases every year, but they also transmit diseases and parasites to animals like dogs and horses. This makes it all the more important to know how keep this pest under control.

• Most mosquito-borne diseases start with flulike symptoms like fever, fatigue, and mild pain. If you experience any of these after finding mosquito bites, contact a medical professional immediately.
• Your pets can also be susceptible to mosquito-borne illnesses, so it’s important to keep them inside during the times when these pests are most active and continually pay attention to signs of illness.
• To keep mosquitoes from coming inside, install screens on your doors and windows and make sure they don’t have any holes. You can also set up a mosquito net around your bed during the seasons when they’re most prevalent so that you aren’t bitten in your sleep.

Mosquitoes serve as vectors, or carriers, of many diseases.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention outlined that the Zika virus, known for causing birth defects in fetuses and paralysis in rare cases of children and adults, is transmitted by two common mosquitoes, the Northern House Mosquito (Culex pipiens) and the Eastern Treehole Mosquito (Aedes triseriatus).

Malaria, a severe and sometimes deadly disease caused by a plasmodium parasite and exhibiting flu-like symptoms, is transmitted by around 30 to 40 species of mosquitoes. It reaches humans through female mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles. These females take bloodmeals to carry out egg production, which links the human and mosquito hosts in the parasite life cycle.

Besides Zika and malaria, mosquitoes pass along other serious illnesses:

• Chikungunya
• Dog heartworm
• Dengue fever
• Yellow fever
• Eastern Equine Encephalitis
• St. Louis Encephalitis
• LaCrosse Encephalitis
• Western Equine Encephalitis
• West Nile Virus

Adult mosquitoes love standing water. It is where they lay eggs and where larvae hatch, so you will never find them far from stagnant bodies of water like puddles, ponds, ditches, or slow-moving streams. They can also collect in potted plants, garden beds, and areas of poor drainage.
Once they make their way indoors, they also frequently haunt bedrooms at night, which makes mosquito netting important in countries where the insect is prevalent. If you’re on the hunt for a good mosquito net for your bedroom, there are certainly types that keep out mosquitoes better than others.

During the day and later at night, mosquitoes tend to be less noticeable, since most species only come out to feed at these times. But since the Aedes species bites all the time, it is important to protect yourself throughout the day.

The best way to avoid a mosquito problem is to avoid a population in the surrounding area.

You can’t control the climate or standing water in your next-door neighbor’s yard, but you can make your yard less conducive to mosquito breeding, thus reducing the chance they’ll linger nearby and make their way inside your home.

The first step to controlling mosquitoes in your environment is to remove as much standing water as possible. Take a careful look around your home, search for all areas where water might collect, and remove water sources from your yard.

• Keep your gutters cleaned out so they drain properly.
• Hang tarps so they do not pool water, turn over old tires, and fill in unnecessary ditches.
• Get rid of anything that can act as a source of water.
• Ensure adequate drainage in your garden. Also be sure that potted plants, both indoors and out, never have standing water in the soil or trays. If you cannot store water-collecting items inside or upside down, drill drainage holes in them so any accumulated water will always run through.
• If you keep rain barrels or other rain-collection devices in your yard, keep lids on them when no rain is falling. Some pooling may be inevitable despite your best efforts, so try to keep a regular schedule of dumping any standing water you find.
• Change water in birdbaths several times a week.
• Treat swimming pools, ponds, and any other bodies of water in your yard for larvae with formulas safe for people and animals. Periodically pull up a cup of water from these areas and check for the presence of larvae, and treat or call in a professional if necessary.

Keep in mind that not all mosquitoes need standing water to lay eggs. They just need water for the eggs to hatch. Eliminating standing water will help, but there is still a chance that you’ll have to take other measures to get rid of mosquitoes in your yard. All the same, chemical and natural approaches are much less effective when mosquitoes continue to have access to the breeding grounds that standing water represents.

There are also some herbal and natural approaches worth trying. The best way to avoid being bitten is simply to repel mosquitoes by protecting yourself with bug spray at all times.

Broadcast Treatments are exactly as they sound, and provide chemical treatment throughout your entire yard. A garden sprayer can be used to apply pyrethroid sprays on shady areas around the house, especially around entryways where resting mosquitoes are more likely to come indoors when you enter and leave. Sprays like lambda-cyhalothrin, cyfluthrin and others can work on soffits and wood siding, but they may need to be reapplied more frequently on brick to reduce the area mosquito population. There are also electric and propane mosquito foggers that can help mitigate mosquitoes in extremely marshy, dense environments. Find out which mosquito fogger might be the best option for your location.

There are also hose sprays with pyrethroid insecticides that can work on mosquitoes. These sprays should be applied to shady areas outside where mosquitoes hide in the daytime. Learn more about pyrethrin and the best mosquito products that contain pyrethrin, as well some of the best mosquito sprayers on the market.

Note that these applications are not appropriate for use indoors. Stay away from treated areas once you have applied the spray. A common approach is to create a perimeter mosquito barrier around the edge of the yard so that the space within it remains relatively mosquito-free.

Mosquito Dunks can be placed in standing water to eliminate mosquito larvae. Often sold in brick or doughnut shapes, these chemical treatments can be very effective in eliminating larvae from standing water, and can safely be used even in ponds with fish. They typically last a month or two before you need to reapply. Note, too, that a recent study showed that using a smaller portion of the dunk than recommended worked just as well as using a whole dunk. Find out which mosquito dunk brand is the best for your yard and particular mosquito problem.

Note: in dangerous areas, DEET is still preferable, and there are many products on the market that contain DEET. Please keep in mind that if you are in an area where mosquitoes carry dangerous diseases, such as Zika or dengue, it is prudent to choose a DEET repellent solution to ensure you have the best protection available. The EPA has studied DEET several times, most recently in 2014, and states, “We continue to believe that the normal use of DEET does not present a health concern to the general population, including children.”

It’s been clinically proven that pennies left in small containers of water prevent mosquito larvae from developing out of eggs. These may not work for large bodies of water like ponds or reflecting pools, but may work for smaller containers like birdbaths and architectural elements.

Find out what the best brands of mosquito traps are, so you know you can rely on them when purchasing one at the store.

If the mosquito problem in your area appears to be out of control, you may wish to call in professional mosquito control. This is the best option if you want to spray large areas of your yard or treat large standing bodies of water. Professionals can ensure that you don’t use the wrong chemicals, accidentally use toxic amounts, or employ formulas unsafe for your family or pets. Their treatments are more likely to take all variables into account and ensure that your money is well spent.