Few pests are as good at ruining a late summer evening on the deck, or a family barbeque, as mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes are common to every state in the United States but they seem to flock to our area of Washington state with a determination rarely found anywhere else.
These are small insects, sporting segmented bodies with one pair of wings, three pairs of legs, and elongated mouthparts they use to feed.
In the ecosystem around us, the effects of mosquitoes are mostly beneficial. They pollinate a number of plants and flowers and serve as a favorite food source for birds and bats.
When mosquito numbers get out of control, however, they can become far more than a nuisance since they can spread a number of deadly diseases and endanger the people unfortunate enough to be exposed to a mosquito infestation on their property.
Let's take a look at what you can do to keep mosquitoes away from your property, what dangers their presence brings to your home, the shortcomings of DIY mosquito control, and what strategies Kittitas County pest control professionals recommend to get rid of mosquito infestations on your property.
What Is Mosquito Control?
Mosquito control relies on prevention by creating an environment unfriendly to these winged invaders by taking away their food source, and elimination by applying an effective treatment to rid your property of mosquitoes. Start by implementing the following tips.
- Ensure there are no pools of standing water for mosquitoes to lay eggs in.
- Remove overgrown bushes and trees that provide a midday respite to mosquitoes.
- Ensure female mosquitoes don't have the blood they need to propagate by wearing long sleeves and pants in the evening and using insect repellent.
The mosquito breeding cycle is extremely fast, with a new fully grown generation appearing in less than 14 days if their food and environment demands are met. If your property is infested with mosquitoes, it's best to pass the task of ridding your property of these insects to experienced professionals.
Mosquitoes Are Considered A Public Health Risk
Like most other insects that feed on blood, mosquitoes in Kittitas County can transfer a number of pathogens and parasites to their victims. In our area, the common culex mosquito is capable of exposing you to the following diseases:
- West Nile Virus
- Dengue
- Chikungunya
- Encephalitis
- Tularemia
As a mosquito bites you, it inserts its mouthparts (proboscis) into your skin and injects saliva that contains desensitizing and anticoagulant properties. This is to help them feed without you noticing and to keep the blood from coagulating before it has its fill. In people predisposed to mosquito bite allergies, a reaction to the injected saliva can spark an allergic reaction.
Do-It-Yourself Mosquito Control Can Fall Short
While our first reaction to dealing with any pest infestation is justifiably to try and handle it ourselves, the DIY approach to mosquito control often falls short of eliminating the threat.
Each female mosquito can lay up to 100 eggs in each batch, with each egg capable of being the start of a whole new infestation in less than two weeks.
Mosquito control chemicals are often dangerous to humans and animals and require specific training and equipment to utilize safely.
The Stress-Free Way To Effective Mosquito Control
At Prosite, we have been helping Kittitas county residents deal with mosquito infestations for over a decade and we specialize in comprehensive and environmentally friendly pest control solutions.
Our experienced technicians will treat your property to remove invading insects and help you to develop a plan to keep mosquitoes away from your home and from getting out of control in your yard again. If your Kittitas property is infested with mosquitoes, get in touch with us today to get started and to learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services in Kittitas County.