Mosquito Control
We know how the saying goes; everything is bigger in Texas. Unfortunately, that saying applies to mosquitos too. While most of those bloodsucking insects clock in at about a quarter of an inch, Texas mosquitos can reach as large as an inch and a half. The Lone Star State hosts one species that grows as much as twenty times as large as the average mosquito. The question, then, is what to do about them.
Mosquitos only live for a couple of weeks, but they get plenty done in that time. They bite to feed but also so they can reproduce. Their saliva has a numbing agent that makes you less likely to feel their proboscis as it pierces the skin to suck blood. The saliva also has the nasty side effect of leaving behind itchy red welts. These bites can lead to fever, hives, and swollen lymph nodes for some people.
Mosquitos aren’t just pesky. They’re known to spread diseases that can debilitate those infected. You may remember hearing about Zika quite a bit around 2015 and 2016. Encephalitis, Chikungunya, and Dengue have wreaked havoc in the past. West Nile Virus remains a big issue, and the Harris County Public Health Mosquito and Vector Control Division has found mosquitos carrying the disease. The Southern House Mosquito is the most common culprit for spreading the West Nile Virus in Texas. After detecting the virus, the team tried to treat the area where infected mosquitos were found, but the disease still seems to resurface year after year.
You can make plenty of changes around your house or business that help prevent the spread of mosquitos. Getting rid of standing water is a big one. It’s important to empty bird baths and dump water from buckets or other containers you may have outside. Mosquitos can reproduce using as little as a bottlecap full of water.
Researchers have found the Aedes aegypti mosquito prefers to lay its eggs in man-made containers. The problem is, cleaning out the water isn’t enough. The mosquito eggs can stick to the sides of those containers for up to 8 months, waiting for the next rainfall. After getting just enough water, they’ll reach adulthood after a week. Plus, simple spraying with insecticides doesn’t do the trick to get rid of them since the eggs are beneath the water and inaccessible.
That’s why it’s so important to have a pest control professional inspect your property and devise a plan not just to get rid of attractants like standing water but also to take steps to ensure the mosquitos don’t return later.
Bed Bug Texas Termite & Pest Control is a family-owned company based in Montgomery. We don’t just have a general knowledge of bugs; we’re locals who are familiar with the pests the area has to deal with, and likewise, we know how to deal with them. As you read, Texas mosquitos are something special, and it takes a special breed of pest control to take care of them. Contact us today for an estimate.