Mosquito Facts

Mosquito Facts _{Jul. 19th 2013}

Mosquito Facts: All About Mosquitoes You Should Know One factor in controlling these pests is to understand what attracts them. Believe it or not, but certain members of the population are more likely to attract mosquitoes than others.

Mosquito Facts: All About Mosquitoes You Should Know

One factor in controlling these pests is to understand what attracts them. Believe it or not, but certain members of the population are more likely to attract mosquitoes than others.

Last update November 29, 2018.

When it comes to pests, one of the most annoying is mosquitoes. They seem to come out during the nicest evening and days when you are relaxing and enjoying the outdoors. Mosquitoes need the right kind of environment to thrive and multiply. However, this ideal environment is found all too often in our own Long Island, NY backyards with standing water in pet bowls, bird feeders, and other containers. The biggest problem is that mosquitoes can not only be annoying but they can be dangerous as well. It's imperative you do what you can to keep dangerous mosquitoes away from you and your family. Make sure to contact a mosquito control professional to properly eradicate these pests. Even without the fear of disease contraction, no one wants these creatures around. Here are facts about mosquitoes you should know:

#1: The bite of a mosquito itches

When a mosquito lands on you, the first thing it does is inject some of its salivae into your skin. This saliva stops your blood from thickening so that it can be extracted from your body. Unfortunately, this causes an allergic reaction to the person's skin. The result is an itching sensation that can be quite intense, in addition to an area of redness on the skin. These sensations take a while to dissipate, but the good news is that they will eventually go away.

#2: Buzzing in your ear can be obnoxious

Mosquito pest control is always a good idea if only to keep these small creatures from buzzing around in your ear. Although they are small insects, when they get close to you, you'll hear them. For whatever reason, these parasites will buzz around your head as they try to find a good place to land, and the sound is quite annoying.

#3. Male mosquitoes using built-in amplifier to find females

According to a new research at the University of London, male mosquitoes use the built-in amplifier in their flagella (lash-like protrusions of the male antennae) to help them find mates. Mosquitoes mate in swarms so the male mosquitoes need to be able to recognize the females' wingbeat from their surrounding. Researchers said it appears that the males further amplify the frequency of females' wingbeat and combine it with their own wingbeat to create an 'auditory illusion.' This finding could help researchers discover ways to design acoustic traps to lure male mosquitoes and reduce the risk of deadly mosquito diseases.

#4: Mosquitoes can force you to go inside

If you're dealing with only a few mosquitoes, having fun outside at a barbecue or other event probably won't be affected. Unfortunately, these insects can show up in droves. Often dozens, if not hundreds in certain situations. If you don't have protection against them, your only recourse might be to take the fun inside.

What Attracts Mosquitoes?

One factor in controlling these pests is to understand what attracts them. Believe it or not, but certain members of the population are more likely to attract mosquitoes than others. The trick is learning what these specific elements might be so that you can take steps to reduce your chances of getting bitten.

#5: Mosquitoes are attracted to your cholesterol level

Not only is it important to lower your cholesterol for your overall health, but it's also possible that mosquitoes might be more attracted to you because of it. Unfortunately, reducing your cholesterol might not do any good, because the belief is that it's how a person processes it, which comes down to genetics.

#6: Mosquitoes are attracted to steroids

This has nothing to do with targeting athletes who are using a controlled substance, nor is in entangled with medical applications of the drug. This is the same as cholesterol. Most likely, it all comes down to genetics and how your body processes steroids.

#7: Mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide

This is an important one to remember, and it explains why certain people are targeted. Mosquitoes can detect carbon dioxide as far away as 50 meters. This means that they could be on your trail before they're even close. Since adults exhale more carbon monoxide, they are more susceptible to the critters than children. Pregnant women are especially susceptible because their bodies release an even greater amount of carbon dioxide when they exhale.

#8: Type O blood

This is one that you don't have any control over. After all, you can't change your blood type. So how do you use this information to help avoid mosquito bites? If you have type O blood, the key is to simply be aware of the possibility. That way, you can take a little extra precaution to protect yourself, as needed. If you have a different blood type, this is something you don't have to worry about.

#9: Beer

Who would've thought that mosquitoes wanted to hang out and have a drink? It has been shown that when a beer is present, mosquito attraction increases by around 15%. Do mosquitoes have a desire to crack open a beer with their buddies? Unfortunately, no. Although researchers don't know exactly what accounts for this increase attraction, the guess is that the ingestion of beer alters the smell of a person's skin that mosquitoes can detect.

Mosquito-borne diseases

Mosquitoes are a type of fly and thus go through the four fly life stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. It's only the female mosquitoes that take blood from hosts, which they use to make eggs. Mosquitoes can be a dangerous insect, thanks to the types of diseases they can carry. Although you might get bitten by a hundred or more without incident, all it takes is one disease-carrying parasite and you could contract something very harmful. There are some serious diseases that a mosquito can carry and will easily transmit to people and pets they come across. Some of these diseases include malaria, dengue fever, West Nile virus, elephantiasis, yellow fever, chikungunya and the latest being the Zika virus. Although not all mosquitoes are carrying a deadly disease, there is no way to know which ones do and which ones don't. You don't want to take your chances with coming across a mosquito that happens to be carrying the West Nile Virus for instance. The West Nile Virus can be deadly if left untreated which is likely as many infected people simply assume they have the flu or cold since the symptoms are very similar. There is also a newer disease that is starting to move quickly and has been linked to mosquito bites and that is the Zika Virus. Although it has not made a huge impact in the United States yet, it has come to some states. The Zika Virus cause many symptoms that also mimic a cold or flu but the danger reaches even further. Expectant mothers have been known to pass some birth defects to their child after being exposed to this disease. The best way to be sure that you are not infected by a disease-carrying mosquito is to have your home or property treated by a pest control specialist!

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Tips to Prevent Mosquitoes in Your Home

These parasites aren't restricted to outside your home. Which is why we're going to look at a few ways of controlling mosquitoes that have found their way into your home.

Search for stagnant water

Make sure that there isn't any stagnant water to be found inside your home, such as areas where drains or faucets are dripping and causing a small puddle. This is where mosquitoes breed, and they can sometimes hatch a few hundred eggs at a time. If the mosquitoes that have invaded your home have no way to reproduce, it won't be long before they either die or simply leave. But don't limit your search to inside your home. Also search around your property for any signs of a stagnant water breeding ground, as well.

Use sprays, even inside your home

One element of controlling mosquitoes comes down to keeping them away from you once they're inside. The last thing you want is to be bitten while you're trying to enjoy a little television after a long day of work. There are plenty of body sprays on the market that is intended to repel mosquitoes or make you "invisible" to them. Of course, another spray that you might find yourself reaching for will be of the poisonous variety. If you decide to follow that course of action, just be aware of where you're spraying in case you have children or pets.

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Install proper screening

Even though mesh screening is mostly intended to be used outside the home, certain houses can benefit from having it inside, as well. It depends on the set up of your house and the types of extra rooms that you might have, especially if you have a swimming pool outside. Another way of controlling mosquitoes in this fashion is to set up screening outside, especially in the swimming pool area. This will stop them from entering your home in the first place, which makes them much easier to deal with. A poison misting system is another possibility. These methods can be quite useful, but if you have children or pets, exercise caution. If you need immediate relief, pick up some mosquito repellent to keep them away. For any Mosquito Problems, call Rest Easy Pest Control.