Mosquito Identification & Prevention

Mosquitoes are small, flying pests with six long legs and a sharp, piercing mouthpart called a proboscis. They grow to between ¼ and ⅜ of an inch long. Mosquitoes are typically gray with white, silver, green, or blue scales. In order to reproduce, female mosquitoes need to feed on blood, which leads to the painful mosquito bites that drive so many people crazy. Aside from a painful bite that leaves an irritating red welt, they can also be vectors for many dangerous diseases.

Mosquito bites can be itchy and painful. They can also be dangerous. The World Health Organization estimates that mosquito bites cause over a million deaths per year globally, making them the deadliest pests in the world. It is important to note that most of those deaths are due to malaria and occur in Third World countries.

Here in the United States, malaria isn't a concern anymore, thanks to the CDC. But mosquitoes can still spread other diseases like West Nile virus, Zika virus, yellow fever, tularemia, and eastern equine encephalitis. Mosquitoes can also spread heartworms to dogs.

The main reason you have mosquitoes around your property is the presence of standing water. Mosquitoes need standing water to breed, although it doesn't have to be deep. They prefer less than three feet of water and can lay eggs in water as shallow as ¼ of an inch. The more areas of standing water you have on or around your property, the more likely you will have a mosquito problem. In addition to standing water, mosquitoes gravitate to tall grass, overgrown gardens, and landscaping that can provide shade during the heat of the day.

While it may feel like mosquitoes appear out of nowhere whenever you want to do anything outside, they are actually hiding around your property, waiting for the cooler hours around dawn and dusk to appear. When mosquitoes aren't flying around looking for a potential meal or possible breeding site, they rest and hide from the sun in dark, humid areas. Typical mosquito habitats around your property include tall grass, inside logs, hollow trees, stumps, and underneath leaf debris.

If mosquitoes are on your property, you should do two things immediately; eliminate any standing water you can find, and call us at Peeler Environmental for professional mosquito control. We'll treat areas of standing water you cannot remove, like low-lying ground where water puddles and permanent fixtures that collect water, with a biological treatment that prevents mosquito larvae from developing. We will also spray potential landing areas with a backpack sprayer to repel mosquitoes from your yard.

Call us today to learn more about our professional mosquito control offerings and how we can keep your yard mosquito free year-round. 

Because mosquitoes can fly, complete prevention can be difficult. Along with professional mosquito control services, there are steps you can take to prevent mosquitoes, which include:

• Eliminate standing water on your property by ensuring gutters work properly, shaking out water on tarps, and keeping buckets, pools, and other potential collection areas turned upside down when not in use. Regularly change the water in wading pools and bird baths. 
• Limit the number of flowering plants that attract mosquitoes around the exterior of your home. 
• Keep your grass cut short.
• Ensure your garbage cans and recycling bins have lids. 
• Install screens on doors and windows to keep mosquitoes outside. 
• Use small fans to drive away mosquitoes while spending time outside, as mosquitoes aren't strong fliers. 

For the ultimate in mosquito control, call Peeler Environmental and take back your yard today.