Wouldn't it be nice to live in a world without mosquitoes? Unfortunately, mosquitoes in America aren't going away any time soon, no matter how hard we try to exterminate them. You could say that they're a force of nature. But there is a secret that mosquitoes don't want you to know; it is possible to reduce mosquitoes on your property to almost zero! Would you like to know the secret? Stick with us today, and we'll tell you. We'll also tell you why it is a good idea to address mosquitoes in your yard. You've probably heard many myths about mosquitoes, and these myths may have given you the wrong idea about mosquitoes. They are not inevitable pests, and you don't have to put up with them. It is possible to keep mosquitoes away from your yard.
As always, we want to remind you that you don't have to read an article about mosquito control to solve a mosquito problem. If mosquitoes are driving you crazy, you can jump to our contact page and contact us for immediate assistance with mosquito pest control in Denver. We're here to help.
Why Mosquitoes Are Not A Small Problem
The first and most important myth that many Denver residents believe is that mosquitoes aren't a serious disease threat in the United States; they are only dangerous in other parts of the world. The truth is that Americans are not immune to mosquito diseases. There are several diseases to consider.
What are the diseases carried by mosquitoes in the United States?
- West Nile virus
- Eastern equine encephalitis
- Western equine encephalitis
- St. Louis encephalitis
- La Crosse encephalitis
We also have outbreaks of other diseases. The CDC monitors malaria, Zika virus, dengue fever, chikungunya, yellow fever, and other diseases yearly. So, why do people believe that mosquitoes in the U.S. don't make people sick? There are several reasons:
- Not all mosquito species spread diseases. You can get lots of bites from these pest mosquitoes without catching anything.
- The species that spread diseases are not found everywhere in the country. If you've ever lived in a region with fewer disease-spreading mosquitoes, you may think mosquitoes aren't a big deal.
- It is possible to get a mosquito-borne virus and not know it. The symptoms can resemble the flu or a cold. Since most people don't go to the doctor when they have minor symptoms, they don't know when mosquitoes are to blame. People get sick from mosquitoes a lot more than your think. The cases are just not reported.
Do you see how myths can impact your ability to protect yourself from mosquitoes? It is essential to understand how mosquitoes affect your family's health so that you can take appropriate measures to prevent sickness. Wearing a mask and washing your hands won't stop a mosquito from making you sick.
Mosquito Myths To Be Aware Of
Now that you know it is important to guard against mosquito bites, it is time to turn our attention to myths that can impact how you prevent them. There are a surprising number of misconceptions that Denver residents have about mosquitoes. Let's see if you believe these myths.
"Mosquitoes in your neighbor's yard see you and come into your yard."
When you step outside, and mosquitoes start to buzz around you, those aren't your neighbor's mosquitoes. Those mosquitoes belong to you. Consider how long it takes for mosquitoes to start bothering you and how long it would take those mosquitoes to come from your neighbor's property. On top of this, mosquitoes have poor eyesight. There is no chance they'll see you from a distance. Why is it important to understand this fact? Because you have control over how many mosquitoes you have in your yard.
"If I get rid of mosquitoes, more will just come into my yard."
The myth here is that mosquitoes continually come into your yard in large numbers, but this is not the case. Will mosquitoes wander into your yard? Sure. But you're not going to have a lot of mosquitoes doing this. Some disease-spreading mosquito species only travel a few hundred feet from where they hatch. Yes, feet. Asian tiger mosquitoes (known to spread the Zika virus, chikungunya, and dengue fever) don't travel more than 300 feet. When a service professional applies a mosquito treatment to your property and eliminates mosquitoes, more mosquitoes will not replace them immediately.
"Do mosquitoes die after they bite you?"
No. Mosquitoes can bite you several times. After biting you, a female mosquito will get busy laying eggs on your property. Not only will those mosquitoes not die off, but your mosquito problem will also worsen after a mosquito bite.
"Do all mosquitoes bite people?"
No. Only female mosquitoes bite. They draw blood for reproduction. You should know that only female mosquitoes bite if you have a bug zapper. Why? Because bug zappers are only good at exterminating male mosquitoes! When you find mosquitoes in your zappers, you might think they're working. Studies show that zappers are only good at attracting mosquitoes. They don't prevent bites.
"Do torches and candles keep mosquitoes away?"
These products work a little bit. If they didn't, they wouldn't sell many. But you should know that a determined female mosquito isn't going to let a torch, candle, or even bug spray keep her from drawing a blood meal.
The best way to repel mosquitoes in Denver is to maintain a property that doesn't have mosquitoes. You can do that by addressing breeding sites and attractants. Let's look at some tips that will work to make your property a no-fly zone for mosquitoes.
Mosquito-Prevention Tips Worth Trying
There are many natural ways to get rid of mosquitoes. We would not put essential oils at the top of the list, yet naturally-derived products are what most people think of when they consider natural mosquito control. Try these tips instead.
- Remove objects from your yard that collect rainwater. Pest mosquitoes breed in stagnant water resources. If the mosquitoes on your property can't find suitable breeding sites, they'll move to another property.
- Pour stagnant water onto the ground. Sometimes you can't control the number of containers in your yard. Kids can leave bowls, cups, toys, kiddie pools, and other objects in the yard. These all collect water. The good news is that it takes mosquitoes more than a week to go from egg to adult. The eggs, larvae, and pupae will dehydrate when you pour water onto the ground.
- Maintain a dry landscape. Mosquitoes spend most of their time resting. They prefer to do this in damp or humid vegetation. Why? Because a mosquito has thin skin that dries out quickly in the sun. If you maintain dry vegetation in your landscaping, mosquitoes may choose somewhere else to rest. Remove unnecessary vegetation, water your plants in the early morning, and remove broadleaf plants.
- Remove gutter clogs. Out of sight, out of mind, right? Mosquitoes can breed in an inch of water. When your gutters clog, mosquitoes can lay hundreds of eggs up there.
When you remove breeding sites and make resting places undesirable, mosquitoes won't prefer to live near you. But taking these steps won't keep mosquitoes out of your yard. When we get lots of rain, you may have mosquito problems no matter what you've done to address breeding sites and moisture. Along with these steps, you should also consider the primary attractant that lures mosquitoes onto your property.
It is not common knowledge, but mosquitoes don't live on blood. Do you know what they eat? Male and female mosquitoes both live on nectar and plant sap. The same mouth parts used to suck the blood out of your skin can suck the liquid out of a plant stem or drink nectar from a flower. If you have a lawn weed problem, it can instigate a mosquito problem. It is wise to do what you can to address flowering weeds and remove this attractant that invites mosquitoes to creep into your yard and find their way to hiding places next to your home.
What To Look For When Buying Professional Mosquito Control
Mosquitoes encroach upon your property. While they won't fill your yard the day after you get a treatment, it is essential to have treatments performed frequently enough to maintain a mosquito-free yard. Our best recommendation is to get treatments at least every three weeks through mosquito season. At Absolute Pest Control, we believe in providing absolute control of pests. While it is more convenient to do monthly or bi-monthly treatments, we know this is just not enough when it comes to controlling mosquitoes. Connect with us today if you want the best pest control for your Denver home. We'll help you keep your yard free of mosquitoes by routinely flicking the reset button on mosquito populations in your yard. We'll also provide recommendations on specific vulnerabilities around your home and your property. If possible, we'll even correct some of them for you. Drop us a line or give us a call. We're here to help.
I have used absolute pest control for over 10 years. They are reliable, professional, polite, honest and experts in their work. Every interaction I've had with them has been positive. I've had them treat 4 different houses through the years and have never had a bad experience.