There is no doubt that
the mosquito is the most irritating of all house
pests. After a mosquito bites you there is an itch
that doesn't seem to go away no matter what you do.
The mosquito is carrier of many disease causing
viruses and pathogens. While biting you it can
transmit these diseases to you through its saliva. It
is only the female mosquito that bites. The diet of
male mosquitoes consists of nectar from flowers. Many
mosquito borne diseases cause a large number of deaths
in developing countries every year.
The mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water.
The larvae breed in this stagnant water. They breed in puddles,
ponds and ditches that fill with water and are not disturbed.
They do not breed in moving water. By disturbing stagnant water
one can break the breeding cycle. The mosquitoes that we find in
our houses breed around our houses. In places where water
collects easily and is not disturbed for some time like, empty
cans, barrels, unused tires and blocked gutters. If the water
from small swimming pools is not regularly cleaned then they can
also become a breeding area for mosquitoes.
Here are a few tips for mosquito control:
Control and reduce breeding ground
Change the water in the birdbaths at least
once a week.
If you have a tire swing make a hole in the
bottom to ensure that rainwater is drained out.
Do leave empty barrels and can out in the
open as water can collect in them.
Drain children's pools weekly.
Fill soil in those areas in the garden where
water can collect easily.
Gutters should be cleaned regularly.
Put fish into your garden pond. They will eat
up mosquito larvae. Alternatively use an agitator in the pond.
Controlling Mosquito Larvae
Employ a professional pest controller to
apply larvicides to ponds, ditches in and around the house.
Environmental friendly larvicides are available in the market.
You can ask a professional to introduce
bacterial control measures at the right time to get optimum
results.
Controlling Adult Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes spend most of the day resting in
the shrubs and bushes around the house. Hire a pest
professional to apply residual products to the vegetation
around the house. Though this will reduce the number of
mosquitoes, the product will have to be reapplied
periodically.
Place mosquito traps available in the market
on the porch, the deck etc.
While sleeping at night you can use a
mosquito net or a mosquito repellent.
The best way to control mosquitoes is to
eliminate breeding areas.
