10 Fun Facts About Mosquitoes

It wouldn’t be summer without those annoying mosquitoes. While mosquitoes may be a nuisance, they are interesting insects. How much do you know about these summer pests? Your Lake of the Ozarks pest control company gathered 10 fun facts about mosquitoes:

1. Mosquito means “Little Fly” in Spanish.

Mosca is Spanish for fly. -ito was added to the end because they were similar to the fly, just smaller.

2. Mosquitoes fly an estimated 1 to 1.5 miles per hour.

Although mosquitoes are tiny, they are not very fast. In the insect world, mosquitoes are very slow, falling far behind honey bees and locusts.

3. Salt marsh mosquitoes may travel up to 100 miles to find a home and 40 miles to find a meal.

Most mosquitoes stay fairly close to their breeding area. The salt marsh mosquitoes, however, will fly long distances to find a suitable place to live.

4. Mosquitoes harmonize their wing beats to their mates.

When a male and female mosquito meet, their buzzing will synchronize to the same speed. An average mosquito’s wing beat is 300 – 600 times per second.

5. An adult mosquito can live up to 5 – 6 months.

Few mosquitos make it that long, but in the right circumstances, an adult mosquito has a long life expectancy.

6. Only female mosquitoes bite humans and animals.

Females need protein for their eggs, so they need our blood to reproduce. Males, however, feed on flower nectar since they don’t need the extra protein. When females are not reproducing, they will feed off flowers too.

7. Mosquitos can detect carbon dioxide from up to 75 feet away.

Mosquitoes rely on carbon dioxide, which humans and animals produce, to signal food is near. Once a female detects carbon dioxide, she flies back and forth until she locates the food source.

8. Some mosquitoes don’t feed on humans.

Some mosquitoes feed on other animals, such as amphibians or birds, and will not bother people at all.

9. Mosquitoes’ spit is what makes us itch.

As the mosquito feeds, she will leave behind a drop of saliva, which serves as an anticoagulant to help them feed. Unfortunately for us, most of us have a natural immune response to it that results in itchiness.

10. There are about 3,000 mosquito species in the world.

Between 150 and 200 of those species can be found in North America.

Keep Mosquitoes Out with A B Pest Control & Insulation

If you have a mosquito problem in your home, call A B Pest Control & Insulation. We pride ourselves on exemplary service and we stand behind our work. We offer flexible service schedules to meet your pest control and budget needs. Don’t let mosquitos and other pests ruin your summer fun. Your Lake of the Ozarks’ pest control company offers a wide range of pest control services.

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Your Top Mosquito Questions Answered

Not only are mosquitoes annoying because of the itchy bites they leave, but they also pose a serious threat to humans. Often times, mosquitoes are described as one of the deadliest animals in the world due to the diseases that they transmit. However, many of the documented deaths resulting from mosquito bites are from travelers. The West Nile virus and dengue fever are of greatest concern in the United States. In any case, it is critical to keep yourself and your home protected from mosquitoes. A Lake of the Ozarks pest control company can evaluate your property for a mosquito problem. A B Pest Control and Insulation can offer a mosquito solution to eliminate them from your space. Below we answer some questions about these pesky insects:

Where Are Mosquitoes Found?

Mosquitoes are found throughout the United States, although some are more common in certain regions. Most mosquitoes feed only at dusk and dawn, but there are some species that feed during the day. Considering mosquitoes lay eggs in water, they are commonly found around marshes and lakes, but can breed in as little as a half inch of standing water. Therefore, it is important for homeowners to check their property for containers that could be collecting water and providing a safe harbor for mosquitoes to grow.

Are Mosquitoes Dangerous?

With mosquitoes' ability to transmit diseases to humans, they are considered dangerous.  In the U.S. mosquitoes are known to spread the West Nile virus, eastern equine encephalitis, and dengue fever. Furthermore, these diseases do not have specific treatments. People can have varied reactions to each virus and each has been fatal in some cases. The best way to avoid mosquito-borne disease is to prevent mosquito bites.

How Can I Prevent Mosquito Bites?

Remove any areas of standing water at your home to eliminate places where mosquitoes can lay their eggs. Empty containers, old tires, guttering, flowerpots, pool covers, and baby pools after a rainstorm. Get rid of wet debris, such as leaves and mulch near the home.Water in bird baths should be changed regularly as well.

Should I Worry About the Zika Virus?

There has been buzz about the Zika virus in the media recently, which is disease spread to people through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, no local mosquito-borne Zika virus cases have been reported in the United States, but there have been a few travel-associated cases. However, these imported cases could result in local spread of the virus in some areas of the United States. It is important to use an insect repellent if you spend a lot of time outdoors and to have your property treated for mosquitoes by a licensed pest control company at the Lake of the Ozarks.

Let A B Pest Control and Insulation Control Mosquitoes at Your Home   

A B Pest Control and Insulation provides effective mosquito control for your home. Our solutions for mosquitoes at the Lake of the Ozarks will keep your outdoor spaces comfortable and keep you safe from mosquito-borne disease. Do you have an outdoor event coming up?  A B Pest Control and Insulation has specialized equipment for treating lawns, bushes, trees, yards, even lakes and ponds. Contact us today at (573) 964-1100 and we can do an evaluation of your yard to recommend the best mosquito control solution for you.

Lake of the Ozarks
Pest Control Company

Visit Our Website:
www.abpest.net

Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Follow us on LinkedIn
Follow us on Google+