Mosquito Identification & Prevention

What are mosquitoes?

Mosquitoes are biting insects with a fly-like appearance found throughout most of the world. Adults have slender bodies, long legs, narrow wings that are covered in fine hair, and extended mouthparts (proboscises) that they use for feeding. Female mosquitoes feed on the blood of people and animals to get the protein required to create their eggs. Both males and females use their proboscis for feeding on nectar and pollen – their main food source. Most species of mosquito larvae develop in areas of standing water. Larvae have large heads, thoraxes, worm-like abdomens, and they move throughout the water in a wiggly manner.

a mosquito crawling on human skin in gladstone missouri

Are mosquitoes dangerous?

Yes, mosquitoes are a very dangerous pest. In the United States, mosquitoes are responsible for transmitting West Nile virus, encephalitis, and the Zika virus. They also infect dogs with potentially fatal parasitic heartworms. In developing and tropical countries, they spread deadly and debilitating diseases like malaria, yellow fever, and dengue fever. Even though mosquitoes are slow and can be squashed easily with a newspaper, they are considered to be one of the most deadly insects in the world due to the wide variety of serious diseases they spread.

Why do I have a mosquito problem?

Mosquitoes can be a problem on any property offering standing water to breed in, and flowering vegetation on which to feed. Some attractants that draw mosquitoes in are ornamental ponds, lakes, marshes, wading pools, drainage ditches, and containers that can collect water. Other attractants are gardens and flowering trees, which can lead to mosquito problems at your home or on your commercial property.

Where will I find mosquitoes?

Mosquitoes live, feed, and breed outside. They do, however, get into homes while searching for food. Mosquitoes usually gain access through spaces around windows and doors or through tears in screens. Mosquitoes are most active at dusk and dawn, swarming around areas of standing water or food sources. During the middle of the day, when the temperature is at its hottest, mosquitoes rest in tall grasses, areas of dense vegetation, along fence lines, under tree lines, and underneath decks and porches.

How do I get rid of mosquitoes?

To reduce the number of mosquitoes living on your property, partner with a professional pest control expert. At Augustine Exterminators we offer advanced modern methods that are needed to solve your unique pest problem and to prevent future ones. Our trained and certified specialists give homeowners effective and affordable mosquito control services. To learn more about the mosquito control services we provide throughout the Greater Kansas City area, call Augustine Exterminators today!

How can I prevent mosquitoes in the future?

Mosquitoes are difficult pests to guard against. There are some steps you can take to make your Kansas City Metro property less attractive to these biting pests.

  • Regularly remove water that collects on the tops of trashcan lids, tarps, and similar items.

  • Regularly empty and re-fill kiddie pools, bird baths, and your pet’s water dish.

  • Maintain gutters to prevent water from pooling in them.

  • Keep the grass on your property cut short.

  • Fill-in low-lying areas to prevent water from collecting.

  • Remove dense, overgrown vegetation from your property.

  • Eliminate excess flowering vegetation from your property, especially any planted near your home.

  • Store away all buckets, wheelbarrows, baby pools and other containers that collect water upside down when not in use.

 

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