Protect your home or business from mosquitoes by learning techniques for identification and control.
MOSQUITOES, FACTS & INFORMATION
WHAT DO MOSQUITOES 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.
TYPES OF MOSQUITOES
- Asian Tiger Mosquito
- Anopheles Mosquito
HOW DO I GET RID OF MOSQUITOES?
Mosquito treatment is usually an integrated effort involving source reduction plus the use of chemical control products when needed. Since mosquitoes develop in water, source reduction targets and eliminates water sources favorable for mosquito breeding. While source reduction is the more effective long-term approach to mosquito treatment, the mosquito treatment plan may require using chemical products to supplement source reduction.
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:
Locate Where They Come From
A diagram of your property is prepared that indicates actual or potential mosquito development sites.
Keep Them Out of the House
Providing recommendations to exclude mosquitoes from getting inside the home.
Eliminate Hiding Spots
Providing recommendations for vegetation management since many species of mosquitoes rest in vegetation around the home during the day.
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.
how can apec support you?
Apec is trained to help manage mosquitoes and similar pests. Since every building or home is different, your Apec technician will design a unique mosquito treatment program for your situation.
UNDERSTANDING MOSQUITO PROBLEMS
The more you know about mosquitoes, the better you can predict and control their behavior. Here are some quick facts to help you on your way.
Lifespan
Generally, male mosquitoes are smaller than females of the same species and live shorter lives than the females.
Reproduction
Mosquito reproduction usually occurs while the mosquito “couple” is airborne. Experts have researched this behavior and discovered sound and wing beat frequencies produced by males and females one of the various phenomenon that attract them to one another.
Proboscis
A female mosquito’s proboscis that extends out from the mouth area is relatively smooth while the adult males are somewhat bushy.
Disease Risk
Encephalitis spread by mosquitoes continues to be a problem for people’s safety.
Feeding
Male adult mosquitoes do not feed on blood, while females do to aid in egg production. A few species of adult females do not feed on blood at all and maintain a diet of plant nectar and other sugars, just like males.
Antennae
The hairs or plumes on a mosquito’s antenna assist with their ability to hear. The male’s antennae plumes are “feathery” and large, while the female’s antennae have a smoother appearance.