11 Interesting Mosquito Facts

Enjoying the perks of four distinct seasons, having proximity to mountains, beaches, and never having to pump your own gas are just a few of the many benefits of living in New Jersey. Summertime in the Garden State is beautiful, offering great opportunities to spend endless hours outdoors. Unfortunately, the summer also brings common backyard pests, namely the mosquito. In recent years, the pest population has continued to grow, forcing many residents to look for better ways to control mosquitoes. Did you know that mosquitoes are one of the deadliest insects? It’s true! Keep reading to learn some additional interesting mosquito facts.

 

Fun Mosquito Facts

 

1. Only female mosquitoes bite. Female mosquitoes need blood before they can lay eggs, where males can survive feeding on plants alone.
2. Mosquitoes lay a lot of eggs. With upwards of 300 eggs at once – the clusters of eggs are referred to as rafts. After a female lays eggs three times, they die.
3. They are the deadliest animal. That’s right, not just the deadliest insect. Mosquitoes are more dangerous than much larger carnivores because they carry deadly diseases. Malaria, West Nile, Zika, and Dengue are some of the diseases that can cause illness and death.
4. Mosquitoes don’t have teeth. This mosquito fact is a shock for many since they are known to bite. Instead, mosquitoes use a proboscis, which is a serrated mouth feature to dig into the skin.
5. Mosquitoes lay eggs in shallow water. This includes puddles in your driveway, sidewalks, and low-lying areas in the backyard that can become flooded. One of the best ways to get rid of mosquitoes in a yard is to remove bodies of water.
6. They are less active in the afternoon. The warm season may be when mosquitoes arrive in the area, but they are not as active during the afternoon. During extreme temperatures is when mosquitoes look for cool and shaded areas to rest.
7. Humans naturally attract mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide, octenol, and lactic acid, which are all found in human breath. Plus, they can smell the sweat and the humidity that surrounds our bodies.
8. Only four chemicals are proven to repel mosquitoes. These include DEET, Picaridin, Lemon Eucalyptus Oil, and IR3535, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
9. Not all Species Live in the United States. Of the 3,500 types of mosquitoes, approximately 175 can be found in the U.S.
10. Mosquito is Spanish. The Spanish translation of mosquito is little fly.
11. They spend their first ten days in water. Since eggs are laid in water, once they hatch, mosquitoes remain there for ten days. During this time, they are known as wigglers and feed on the organic matter in the water.

 

Best Way to Control Mosquitoes

 

The best way to control mosquitoes in your backyard is to treat for these pests year-round properly. Many home and garden stores sell mosquito control and traps. Contacting a local lawn care professional to manage the lawn treatments throughout the year is also a great way to prevent mosquitoes from building a home or laying eggs in your yard.

 

Perennial Lawn Care can help with treatments if mosquitoes have you stuck indoors this summer. Contact us today for additional information!

Posted on July 15, 2019 by Perennial Lawn Care