Mosquitoes may be tiny in size, but their annoyance factor can be big enough to chase us back indoors or ruin any outdoor gathering. While the thought of itchy bites may drive us mad, the most serious concern with mosquitoes around your home lies in their capacity for potential health risks. As mosquito populations rise in the Cincinnati, Dayton, and Northern Kentucky areas, homeowners are becoming more concerned about how to prevent and control these pests around your home. This tip sheet will outline some of the best mosquito prevention tactics, but also give you some great questions to ask Mosquito Control Companies if you are considering hiring a pro.
The Zika Virus has been introduced and is spreading in mosquitoes in the United States. This disease causes significant health problems to adults and birth defects if women are bitten during pregnancy.
Mosquitoes can also carry West Nile Virus, which can produce sickness accompanied with high fevers and can lead to possible neurological disorders.
Mosquito-borne encephalitis/ encephalomyelitis are viral diseases that are transmitted by mosquitoes. These diseases can lead to inflammation of the brain and spinal cord.
Mosquitoes lay eggs in moist areas, and their larvae need those conditions to develop into flying adults. Here is a list of items to look for and how to address them:
Puddles & Debris: Look for low-lying areas that hold standing water. Add soil, mulch, gravel, etc. to help these areas slope away and drain more efficiently. Sometimes these areas can be under shrubs and decks and contain moist leaf debris.
Rain Gutters: While safely using a ladder, inspect your rain gutters for low areas. There can sometimes be slight dips, leaving a thin enough puddle for mosquito larvae to hatch and mature into flying adults in as little as 8-10 days!
Containers: Whether it’s container gardens and their trays that hold standing water, or tire swings and other containers in the yard, these reservoirs need to drain quickly.
Pools, Ponds & Fountains: Stagnant water is a mosquito breeding hot spot. As long as there is a good current, mosquito larvae cannot survive. Make sure the water is continuously moving to break the surface tension where larvae could float.
Even with the best preventative measures, mosquitoes can still show up around your home. While there is no prey to feed upon, these pests will spend time in cool, shaded areas. These areas are often the undersides and interiors of landscape plantings on your property. Mosquitoes are also very weak fliers. A single flight of 15-20 ft. will require a mosquito to touch down and rest at least 3-4 times. Treating the landscape plantings around your home (shrubs, ornamental grasses, low tree branches) means mosquitoes will regularly come in contact with control materials when they wait for their next meal or touch down to rest during flight. These treatments can reduce mosquito populations by up to 90%!
There are a few companies in the Cincinnati, Dayton, and Northern Kentucky areas that perform mosquito control services. However, they won’t all achieve the same results.
Here is a list of questions to ask a potential Mosquito Control Company:
How many years has your company been performing mosquito control? How often do you come for treatments throughout the year?
What is the cost of your mosquito program, and do you have any discounts if I bundle other services with you?
How exactly will your treatments control mosquitoes (explain the treatments)?
Where can I find online reviews or customer testimonials of your mosquito control services?
What licenses do you carry related to mosquito control services? How do you train your technicians on an ongoing basis?
We’d love to learn more about your mosquito concerns and answer these questions for you. Please don’t hesitate to contact us for pricing or to learn more about our mosquito control services.