Mosquito Control For the SummerKeep These Biting Pests Away From Your Family This Year

A Mosquito LessonMosquitos have been on the planet for more than 30 million years, and they’re not leaving any time soon. There are more than 2,700 different species of mosquitoes in the world. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in water, and most of them can survive the winter. The eggs hatch into larvae which live just a few days if it’s warm enough. Then they turn into a pupa, which eventually encases itself to grow into an adult. Once it reaches this stage, it can fly out of the nesting ground and live on its own. Only female mosquitoes feed on blood. Males feed on plant nectar.

Wondering How They Find You?It’s simple, really. They have a number of different sensors that help them track prey, including: Chemical sensors: The lactic acid

and carbon dioxide you naturally give off allows the mosquito to spot you up to 100 feet away.

Visual Sensors: If you move wearing clothing that contrasts with nature, they can see you immediately.

Heat Sensors: We all give off heat, and mosquitos can literally see it when they look at you.

An Itchy Lesson

When a female mosquito lands on you, she’ll stick part of her mouth, the proboscis, inside your skin. It’s sharp and thin, so you might not even feel it initially. The saliva in her mouth has anticoagulants so your blood won’t clot and she can keep drinking until she gets nice and full. When she’s done, her saliva will remain on your wound, kicking your immune system into gear. That causes swelling. Bites are easily treated with mild soap and water. In most cases, medical attention is not necessary.

The Risk of DiseaseIn some cases, mosquitoes can carry various diseases. A mosquito bite, in those cases, can lead to a fairly serious health ordeal for you. Here are just a few of the main culprits: Malaria – This condition is causes by a

parasite that can be transmitted by an Anopheles mosquito. Infections can show up as little as 6 days after a bit.

Yellow Fever – This condition primarily occurs in Africa or South America. There is no treatment for the disease.

Encephalitis – This condition is caused by a virus transmitted by some mosquitoes. The West Nile version is on the rise throughout the U.S.

Mosquito MythsWhile mosquitoes are quite annoying and some bites

can be dangerous, there are also many myths floating around about them. Here are just a few: Bats can consume 600 mosquitoes in an hour. –

FALSE: A bat’s diet is actually less than 1% mosquito.

Purple martins love to eat mosquitoes – FALSE: This bird’s diet is less than 3% mosquito.

Lemon Joy and Listerine kill mosquitoes – FALSE: Sorry, they just don’t work that way.

Citronella oil is an effective repellent – EH, SORT OF FALSE – Sure, it can be a good repellent in a high concentration, but in most cases, you’re not going to get a high enough concentration to make a difference in any one area.

Personal Repellent OptionsNow that you’ve had a quick look at what doesn’t work to keep them off of you, take a look at what does: Avon Skin So Soft: Lab tests have

shown this is effective for about twenty minutes.

Picaridin & Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus: These are usually only available in concentrations of about 5%, and at that level, you get just an hour’s worth of protection.

Deet: Here, you get 112 minutes of protection with a repellent that uses just 6.7% DEET. www.yespestpros.com

Get the Help You Need

Mosquitoes can be a serious problem, and with the right professional help, your summer can stay mosquito free. Contact Young Environmental Solutions for more information today & enjoy your summer.