It’s Mosquito Season: Here’s What to Know
It’s that time of year, and if you’re spending much time outdoors, then you’re likely trying your best to evade those pesky mosquitos. Yes, there are some important facts you need to know about Virginia mosquitos, which we’ll share in a moment, but first we feel compelled to give you an unadulterated sales pitch.
If you really want relief from mosquitos this summer, your best bet is to subscribe to a mosquito control service that treats your yard on a regular basis. While nothing can eliminate every mosquito from your property, our mosquito exterminators are so well trained, and our service works so well that we guarantee you will not be bothered by mosquitoes between treatments. If you are, all you must do is call us, and an Eco Pest Control mosquito exterminator will return to reassess your property and, if necessary, re-treat at no additional charge.
We now return to our regularly scheduled programming.
What Kind of Mosquitoes are Biting Me?
In Virginia, odds are that the mosquitos attacking your arms and legs are Asian tiger mosquitoes, one of the most common mosquitos in the greater Richmond-Williamsburg-Newport News areas. While they only attack from sunrise to sunset, they will sometimes bite after dark if your outdoor lights provide sufficient illumination.
Where Do They Breed?
Asian tiger mosquitos only breed in containers or tree holes. While some mosquitoes are known to breed in puddles, ditches, or ground pools, Asian tiger mosquitos are not among them. So, inspect your property every seven days and remove any standing water in any container, including pots, birdbaths, wading pools, buckets, tarps, clogged gutters, toys, and knot holes in trees. If you are being bothered by Asian tiger mosquitos, these sources are their likeliest breeding grounds.
The seven-day rule is important, because if water stands for less than a week, it will not breed mosquitoes, as most mosquito species require standing water for 10 to 14 days to complete their development cycle. Only one species of mosquito, the dark rice-field mosquito, can complete its aquatic life cycle in less than seven days.
Are There Other Mosquitos I Need to Worry About?
That dark rice-field mosquito we just mentioned … this is a large, aggressive, daytime biting species that most commonly breeds in puddles and roadside ditches. Thankfully, it is not common to this area, but they are reported on occasion and are known to attack in broad daylight. Beyond the dark rice-field mosquito, there are few other species of concern. That said, there are a few mosquito species that breed in woodland flood pools and forest puddles that will bite during the daytime, but only on overcast days. Unless your property butts up against a heavily wooded area, these mosquito species are not of any concern.
What are the Favorite Targets of Mosquitos?
Because Asian tiger mosquitoes don’t like to be noticed, they’ll attack your ankles, legs, backs, and underside of your arms. Generally, they bite only when you’re standing relatively still or moving slowly.
Many of the woodland pool species are fairly aggressive and will try to bite you on the head, face, or upper body – even when you are walking. So, if you’re taking a stroll through the forest, beware. Remember those dark rice-field mosquitoes? They are so aggressive that they’ll even try to bite you when you are running or trying to swat them with a broom.
Before mosquitos have a chance to take over your yard, call us. You’ll be glad you did.
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