Mosquitoes are a nuisance for homeowners across the country, especially when the weather's warm and wet. Their bites are irritating and painful, but they can also be dangerous, so it's important to keep mosquitoes away from your North Augusta home. Here are some mosquito control tips from the North Augusta pest control specialists at Aiken Pest Control.
The Role Mosquitoes Play In The Ecosystem
Contrary to what you may believe, mosquitoes in North Augusta are not just blood-drinking pests. Only female mosquitoes bite humans as they need the nutrients in the blood to produce eggs and thus reproduce. Outside of mating times, mosquitoes function as pollinators since their primary source of food is nectar.
Mosquitoes are rarely a dominant pollinator, but there are some exceptions in which mosquitoes are the primary source of pollination, such as the Blunt Leaved Bog Orchid. Mosquitoes also function as an important part of the food web thanks to their prolific reproduction. They serve as food for spiders, bats, frogs, and many other forms of life that consume insects. Despite the annoyance they can be to humans, mosquitoes are essential.
The Diseases Mosquitoes Can Transmit
Mosquitoes are a vector species for several debilitating and deadly diseases. A vector species is a living organism that transmits an infectious agent from an infected animal to a human or another animal. In the case of mosquitoes, it is rare for them to transmit in the United States, but they are known to transmit diseases such as Malaria, yellow fever, and Zika virus.
Mosquito bites are more often dangerous due to infection and allergic reactions. Scratching mosquito bites can lead to infections that can cause symptoms to last far longer than normal or even escalate into more dangerous conditions. Mosquito saliva can trigger allergic reactions that may lead to anaphylaxis. If you begin breaking out in hives, your throat swells, or you feel nauseous after a mosquito bite, you should seek medical aid immediately.
Factors That Attract Mosquitoes To Your Yard
Of the factors that attract mosquitoes to your yard, the biggest offender is stagnant water sources such as buckets, ponds, and birdbaths. There are a few other ways mosquitoes get attracted to your property, such as:
- Mosquitoes are attracted to living organisms in search of blood for their eggs. Large gatherings of people at outdoor parties or animals can provide these blood sources.
- Campfires may attract mosquitoes as they are attracted to both heat and carbon dioxide, which campfires produce more of than people do.
- Mosquitoes are also attracted to dark, humid spots such as under houses where there are leaks or in attics. Repair leaky pipes and reduce the moisture in your home wherever you can to prevent them from entering.
- Studies show there may be a correlation between blood type and mosquito bites as well. There's not enough evidence for a proper conclusion, but you may be attracting mosquitoes yourself if you have O or A-type blood.
Mosquitoes may also be attracted to other factors, such as alcohol intake or dark clothing. If you're concerned about a mosquito infestation, there's at least one surefire way to get rid of mosquitoes.
What's The Best Way To Get Rid Of Mosquitoes On My Property?
The best solution for a mosquito infestation is to contact a pest control specialist for mosquito control services. Pest control specialists have access to knowledge, equipment, and experience that isn't readily available to the public. They can protect your home year-round from mosquitoes and other pests, providing peace of mind to you and your North Augusta property.