Picture this: you’re hosting a delightful picnic or cookout on a balmy summer evening. Yet, as the scorching sun gives way to a muggy twilight, unwelcome guests start to crash the party.
Enter mosquitoes (Order Diptera, Family Culicidae), the underestimated yet formidable outdoor nuisances of the southern United States.
In Georgia and South Carolina, residents often resign themselves to mosquito activity due to geographical location, climate, or the time of year. However, with the right approach, mosquito invasions can be managed effectively.
To combat these persistent pests, it’s crucial to understand their behavior, ecosystem, and life cycle, alongside implementing property treatments.
The Life of Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes undergo four distinct stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.
In Georgia and South Carolina, mosquito eggs typically hatch in stagnant ponds or water bodies. Females lay eggs in clusters, known as rafts, and both larvae and pupae thrive in aquatic environments for several days.
Once mature, adult mosquitoes emerge to mate, seek blood meals to nourish their eggs, and expand their population.
Did you know? Male mosquitoes have a brief lifespan of a few days post-adulthood, while females can live for several weeks. Moreover, only female mosquitoes feed on blood.
Habitat and Behavior
Mosquitoes favor humid, lush environments with stagnant water. Female mosquitoes, notorious for their itchy bites, rely on blood meals for egg development. They detect hosts through body heat, carbon dioxide, and various odors emitted by animals and humans.
Remarkably, mosquitoes can track their prey from over 30 feet away, following trails of carbon dioxide and scent to their feeding source.
Although mosquito bites might initially go unnoticed, they often result in itchy welts lasting hours or days.
Beyond mere irritation, mosquitoes pose a significant health risk, transmitting viruses and diseases to humans and animals. While diseases like Malaria and Zika are more prevalent in other regions, cases within the United States have been reported.
Why Bug Spray Isn’t Enough
While many homeowners turn to over-the-counter sprays to fend off mosquitoes temporarily, these solutions fail to address incursions at their source, allowing populations to proliferate.
Engaging professional pest management services is the most effective approach to tackle your growing mosquito problem.
Trained and registered technicians at Compass Pest Management can identify mosquito landing sites around your yard and apply targeted treatments without compromising blooming vegetation around your property line.
During the 6-month mosquito season, Compass Pest Management can meet your mosquito needs by treating once each month. Once-per-month treatments are recommended for optimal control, preventing the insects from growing quickly.
Contact Compass Pest Management for a quote today and take back control of your outdoor living.