Are You Ready For Mosquito Season?

With warm Florida nights already in full swing, the mosquitoes are buzzing around looking for cookouts and backyard gatherings to ruin. These pests only need a minuscule amount of water to lay their eggs in and can begin looking for prey in less than a week. Mosquitoes are not just annoying they happen to be very dangerous because of their ability to spread diseases such as the West Nile Virus, Malaria, Dengue Fever and the latest epidemic; the Zika Virus (112 confirmed cases in Florida; the highest # in the US). However living in a tropical climate, like we have in central Florida, doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice enjoying time outside but it does mean you might have to take extra precautions. So how can keep mosquitoes away from your home and family?

1. Make your yard as unappealing as possible to mosquitoes! (see infographic from the NPMA below)
2. Engage in an active mosquito management program, with a pest control professional, like the experts here at Superior Spray Service. This is one of the best and safest ways to significantly decrease the number of mosquitoes on your property. It’s also the quickest and provides the most thorough results.

Our mosquito control begins with a pest control professional conducting a property inspection and identifying the kind of mosquitoes that are around your home. Once this is complete, your pest control professional will develop a mosquito treatment plan that can include applying insecticides to vegetation that adult mosquitoes use for shelter and using insecticides that prevent mosquito development in water environments. During the months of May-October, we will visit your home once a month to deploy a full spectrum approach to ensure effective mosquito control for your family. However, there are preventative measures your family can implement to keep these blood suckers away after we make our monthly visit. Here are some tips to ensure your mosquito control efforts maximized:

1. Reduce standing water in old pots and planters, drill a hole in tire swings for drainage, and flip kids toys upside down.
2. Trim and maintain trees, bushes, and vegetation
3. Don’t let bushes grow too close to your home
4. Clean up yard trimmings after pruning
5. Treat your pets with tick and flea repellents.
6. Keep trash in closed receptacles and have it removed from your property regularly
7. Clean up after construction projects
8. Dispose of debris and unwanted materials
9. Store tools and extra supplies in a shed or garage
10. Inspect and repair eaves, fascia boards, and exterior walls for holes and damage.
    

We can’t rid the world of mosquitoes but here are a few things tips that make living with them more tolerable.

1. Be aware that dusk and dawn are the most active times for mosquitoes.
2. Try scheduling activities for the middle of the day when mosquitoes are in hiding
3. Put up tents to provide shade.
4. Use repellents that have DEET or oil of eucalyptus
5. Utilize fans, mosquitoes are horrible fliers and an artificial breeze can steer them off course.
6. Employ a mosquito control professional.

Female mosquitoes are the ones biting you. Male mosquitoes do not take blood meals, they feed on plant nectar and other sugars. Spotting the difference between males and females, the mosquito’s proboscis that extends out from the mouth area is relatively smooth on females and somewhat bushy on males. Generally, male mosquitoes are smaller than females and live shorter lives.