Did You Know?
Mosquitoes have been around for so long in part because they’ve continued to adapt so they can better track lifeforms that provide their sustenance. During the time of the dinosaurs, mosquitoes were much bigger, capable of holding far more blood in their sacs than modern varieties can. But as smaller mammals began to become abundant, mosquitoes adapted to be able to follow them across continents. They grew smaller and even more diverse, until now there are over 3,500 hundred different species. This grand history aside, most people don’t even know basic information about mosquitoes. For instance, only females feed on blood. Male mosquitoes, by contrast, feed on pollen much as bees do. All the interesting facts in the world won’t underscore the main point, though: that mosquitoes are common and far less harmless than you may think.
The Takeaway: Mosquitoes Are Dangerous
The most interesting and important fact about mosquitoes is that they are considered some of the most dangerous pests in the world. No, it’s not because they suck so much blood that they are life-threatening. Rather, it’s the microscopic bacteria and viruses that they carry and easily transmit directly into the bloodstream. Because of their ability to spread pathogens, mosquitoes are considered far more deadly than some of the scary animals you likely picture when you think of “dangerous pests.” Here are just some of the serious illnesses that mosquitoes can transmit:
- Malaria: One of the most deadly diseases in human history, malaria is a bacteria that attacks red blood cells. While treatment for this disease has improved over the last several decades, it’s still not something that you want to be exposed to.
- West Nile Virus: One of the first pandemic scares of the 21st Century was a resurgence of the West Nile virus. While symptoms tend to be mild, this illness can spread like wildfire once mosquito populations pick it up.
- Ebola: One of the more recent mosquito-borne diseases to cause a scare, ebola is truly terrifying in serious cases.
Prevent These Factors
Now, just because mosquitoes can spread diseases doesn’t mean they necessarily will. It’s the risk of health crises posed by mosquitoes that makes them pests to take seriously. The best way to help curb the spread of mosquitoes is to reduce the following factors around your yard:
- Landscaping: Mosquitoes are lazy insects, conserving their energy between meals by resting on grasses, leaves, or branches. Reducing their landing pads by keeping your plants trimmed low will make your yard less attractive to them.
- Moisture: Mosquitoes lay their eggs in pools of standing water, so they look for yards with puddles or water features to invade. Proper lawn drainage and covering of pools and birdbaths are crucial.
- Proliferation: If you notice mosquitoes around your property, it’s important to call on the experts right away. The longer a mosquito population has to grow, the more it can contribute to nastier problems.
Let Experts Help Out
With flying parasites like mosquitoes, total prevention isn’t something you can guarantee just by doing some preventative methods around your property. Mosquitoes on nearby properties can easily fly over fences and get into your backyard, after all. The only total protection you can find comes from professional lawn treatments and thorough inspections. At Aerex Pest Control, our trained technicians can get started right away on checking your property for mosquitoes or signs of general pest activity. We can not only provide you with more tips to keep your lawn secure, we can offer effective prevention and treatment solutions that offer your best chance at avoiding mosquitoes.
Don’t let mosquitoes near enough to bite you or your loved ones, contact Aerex Pest Control today.