Mosquito Identification & Prevention

Mosquitoes are a type of insect. The female feeds on the blood of animals or people to get the protein needed to produce viable eggs and complete their reproductive cycle. Most people are allergic to a mosquito’s saliva, and develop raised itchy welts at the bite sites. Mosquitoes are frustrating pests that can stop people from being able to enjoy spending time outside.

Though there are many different species of mosquitoes living throughout the United States (more than 200), they all share some similarities. Mosquitoes all have a four-stage life cycle (egg, larvae, nymph, adult), a pair of wings covered in scales, six legs, and an extended mouthpart that they use for feeding on both blood (females) and nectar (females and males).

The health risks associated with mosquitoes make them a dangerous pest to have living on your property. Mosquitoes, in the United States, transmit diseases like West Nile Virus and encephalitis that can make people very ill. Mosquitoes are also able to spread diseases to our pets. They spread heartworm, a parasite that affects our pet’s heart and lungs, and is potentially fatal.

Reducing the number of mosquitoes that live on your Germantown property and that you come into contact with is vital to your health and safety.

Standing water is usually the source of any property’s mosquito problem. Standing water acts as a breeding site for mosquitoes. Mosquitoes tend to live in close to proximity to where they hatch; the more breeding sites (standing water) you have on or near your property, the more mosquitoes you will have swarming your property and biting you, your family, and pets.

Mosquitoes are most active in the spring, summer, and early fall when the weather is hot and humid. They live in high numbers near breeding sites, including the following:

• Marshes and swamps
• Clogged drainage ditches
• Wooded areas
• Containers, such as buckets, wheelbarrows, flowerpots, wading pools
• The tops of trash can lids or tarps
• Tree cavities, fallen trees, tree stumps

These biting pests are most active during dawn and dusk and rest during the middle part of the day to escape the heat. Tall grasses, dense vegetation, and under trees or decks provide mosquitoes with areas to escape the heat.

For a long-term solution to ridding your North Carolina property of mosquitoes, it is best to partner with a professional. At Ray’s Pest Control & Wildlife Removal, we work closely with our customers to learn about the specific pest problems they have been experiencing. Our pest experts provide our customers with the highest quality service to solve their current pest problem and keep them from returning. Since 1972 our family has been helping the families in the Winston-Salem, and surrounding areas maintain pest-free properties. We can also assist you in keeping your business free of mosquitoes and other pests.

If you are experiencing problems with mosquitoes, reach out to Ray’s Pest Control and learn about our effective mosquito control solutions. For more information about our residential or commercial pest control programs, call us today!

Don’t leave whether or not mosquitoes invade your property up to chance; partner with Ray’s Pest Control and implement the following mosquito prevention tips:

Reduce mosquito attractants. Prevent mosquitoes from feeding on you by using a mosquito repellant when you are going to be outdoors, especially when spending time in heavily wooded areas or areas with tall grass. If possible, avoid being outside when mosquitoes are most active, dawn and dusk. Avoid wearing black or other darker-colored clothing when spending time outside, as it is much more attractive to mosquitoes than lighter colored clothing.

Eliminate standing water. Fix low lying areas on your property that collect rainwater. Store containers that collect water like buckets, wading pools, and pet food bowls upside down when not in use. Clean your gutters regularly to keep rainwater flowing freely through them. If you own a pool, make sure the water is continuously circulating. Remove fallen trees and tree stumps from your yard that collect water. Do not overwater gardens, lawns, or potted plants.

Reduce nesting areas. Keep grass cut short, and cut back vegetation. Prune overgrown trees and shrubs. Remove excess piles of firewood, leaf piles, or fallen trees that provide mosquitoes with a place to rest. Keep mosquitoes out of your home by keeping windows and doors closed as much as possible. Replace worn weatherstripping around windows or doors. Replace torn or loose screens.