Stinging insects aren’t the only pest you have to worry about this summer. Now that June is in full swing and we are heading towards July, mosquitoes are out and buzzing around as usual. Their annoying buzzing, itchy bites, and the continuous swatting in an attempt to keep them away is only the beginning of our problems with mosquitoes. Their bites not only leaves most of us with an itchy, red bump, but can also cause some very serious health problems. Texas provides the prime environment for mosquitoes to breed and thrive in, and residents that live in humid locations that have stagnant water are particularly at risk.
The Asian tiger mosquito is the most common mosquito in our area. Adult Asian tiger mosquitoes can be up to ⅜” long, and have narrow oval bodies, long legs, and a long proboscis used for feeding. They are gray and have white stripes around their abdomens. Both the males and females eat nectar from plants; the females, however, also suck the blood of humans and animals to get the blood she requires to develop her eggs. They have special mouthparts used to puncture skin in order to suck blood. In order to lay their eggs, the female Asian tiger mosquitoes will congregate in large numbers around places with plentiful amounts of standing water available. These females will lay eggs in puddles, pet bowls, bird baths, overturned toys that have collected rainwater, or any other area of standing water. They will look for a place with enough flowers for them to feed on the nectar, as well.
Mosquitoes are considered dangerous because of the serious diseases that they can carry and transmit to people. Mosquito-borne illnesses like the Zika virus, West Nile virus and encephalitis are becoming more common. West Nile virus starts out similar to the flu with symptoms including a fever, headache, body aches, rash, and swollen lymph nodes. More severe symptoms include a stiff neck, sleepiness, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, and paralysis. While this virus usually goes unreported with only mild symptoms, it can sometimes go as far as causing inflammation of the brain. To avoid mosquitoes and the harmful diseases they spread, now might be the time to think about getting professional mosquito control to reduce annoying mosquitoes from flying around, buzzing in our ears, leaving us with annoying itchy bumps, and reducing the risk of diseases that they carry.
Adams Exterminating Company in North Texas can help you reduce the population of dangerous mosquitoes on your property, which, in turn, will reduce your risk of mosquito-borne illnesses as well. We offer a variety of effective mosquito control options for you to choose from including seasonal service, misting, and our one-time event package. Give us a call for more information on how we can help you with all of your pest control needs!