You can’t run from the tiny vampires that are mosquitoes. They are hungry opportunists that have both looked and behaved the same for almost 80 million years. A single persistent mosquito can ruin a barbecue or a good night’s sleep. If that one mosquito is one of the three species that carry disease, then it may also be deadly.
Mosquito-borne diseases have caused millions of deaths worldwide each and every year. A disproportionate number of those that are affected are children and the elderly in developing countries.
How Do Mosquitoes Find Us?
It is virtually impossible to throw a mosquito off your trail, much as you try with sprays and candles. Not only do mosquitoes sense body odors and temperature, but they are also able to track movement along with the carbon dioxide that humans and other animals naturally exhale.
Why Do Mosquitoes Need Blood?
Female mosquitoes are the ones that need a blood meal. After she locks onto her target, she will insert two needle-like tubes into the skin of her victim. One tube will inject saliva to both numb the area and prevent coagulation, while the other sucks blood into her body, where it becomes a source of protein for her offspring. Surprisingly, neither male nor female mosquitoes derive nutrients from blood – they eat nectar and other plant sugars for this. The protein within the blood is purely for the female’s eggs.
How To Become Undetectable
Swatting and sidestepping a mosquito’s effort to land on you only makes you more attractive. Remember that movement is one of the methods used to track their victims. Any type of airflow above 1 MPH will make it difficult for mosquitoes to fly, plus it will help dissipate body odors and carbon dioxide. Meaning, you will have better luck avoiding an annoying mosquitoes attention by standing in a breezy spot or in front of a fan. A good tip is to avoid bodies of stagnant water during dawn or dusk, as these are the most common times when the wind tends to die down and mosquitoes will come out to feed. As the mosquito larval stage is only 10 days, you may be the first meal for newly developed females who are ready to lay eggs.
Try wearing loose-fitting, tightly-woven clothes. Mosquitoes can’t penetrate a tight weave, especially tightly-woven synthetic fibers. Look for garments that offer sun protection as these products have a tight enough weave to block a mosquito bite.
The color of your clothing definitely matters. During the day, wear lighter clothes, which makes it more difficult for mosquitoes to see in daylight. At night, choose darker colors for camouflage.
Use mosquito spray on your skin and clothes. The CDC recommends repellents containing chemicals such as DEET as these are registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Call The Professionals
If you are having an excess of mosquitoes around your home and in your yard, be sure to give our professional staff a call right here at Consolidated Pest Control. With our lawn care, we can help control the mosquito population to allow you to enjoy your home and the outdoors.
