Mosquito-Proof Your Long Island Yard: A Step-By-Step Guide
July 15, 2023 - Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes can be intrusive and annoying during the summer months. Their love for warm weather and standing water makes many Long Island yards the perfect place for mosquitoes to spend their days. If you are seeing mosquitoes around your property, you won't be able to get rid of them on your own. Instead, you will need the help of a Long Island pest control specialist. At A&M Quality Pest Control, we know the best way to get rid of the mosquitoes in your yard, and we can give you effective tips that you can try to prevent mosquitoes from coming to your property in the first place.
Understanding Mosquito Behavior: The First Step To Mosquito-Proofing
Believe it or not, a mosquito's favorite meal is not human or animal blood. Instead, they prefer to eat sweet nectar that they collect from plants and flowers. Only the female mosquitoes will eat blood and take a blood meal to get the extra protein needed for egg production. When a female is not reproducing, she will not take a blood meal.
When the female is reproducing, however, she will not only need a blood meal, but she will look for an area that has standing water. All female mosquitoes will lay their eggs in or near a body of water. The water doesn't have to be too deep; it only has to be deep enough for the mosquito larvae to submerge themselves once they have hatched. After a few days, the larvae will turn into pupae and then become adults. The entire process from egg to adult mosquito takes around a week to ten days.
When female mosquitoes are looking for a blood meal, they will use their senses to find humans. While many things might alert a mosquito to your presence, they seem most attracted to people who are sweating, moving around a lot, and exhaling large amounts of carbon dioxide. Research shows people who wear dark colors outdoors attract mosquitoes.
Mosquito Dangers: Understanding The Risk Of An Infestation
Even though mosquitoes in Long Island are no bigger than a nickel, they are one of the most dangerous animals in the world because there are several viruses carried by mosquitoes. Some of the various illnesses that people in Long Island can contract from mosquitoes include:
Dengue
Encephalitis
Tularemia
West Nile virus
Chikungunya
Most of these illnesses usually only cause mild symptoms that typically go away on their own. Some viruses, such as the West Nile virus, may require medical intervention. However, the survival rate for the listed illnesses is high. The mosquitoes known to spread the deadliest diseases, such as malaria and the Zika virus, are not found in Long Island or anywhere in the United States.
Mosquito Prevention: Eco-Friendly And Effective Tips
Mosquitoes can be found everywhere on Long Island. However, there are a few natural tricks that you can try to reduce the number of mosquitoes that are on your property. Some of the ways to prevent a mosquito infestation in your yard include:
Reduce the amount of trees and plants that you have in your yard
Don't let the grass in your yard grow over eight inches
Remove any standing water from your property
Take away any old lawn equipment, wheelbarrows, or other objects that can collect water when it rains
If you want to reduce your chances of mosquitoes swarming around you outdoors, try applying mosquito repellant to your body.