| Mosquito
Control for Homeowners
by Barb Ogg, Ph.D, Extension Educator
Mosquito biology:
Mosquitoes pass through four distinct stages egg, larva ("wiggler"), pupa
("tumbler") and adult. Depending on the species, eggs are laid on soil,
vegetation, in tree holes, or on the surface or along the edges of still water. Eggs may
hatch immediately or may persist for years, waiting for the proper conditions for hatching
still water with depleted oxygen.
An adult female mosquito
lives approximately two weeks given favorable conditions. They are good fliers, and can
move several miles from an emergence site if necessary. In larger cities, where river
flooding is not involved, most mosquitoes emerge locally. Female mosquitoes possess
piercing-sucking mouthparts and require a blood meal to produce viable eggs. Eggs are laid
in batches between blood meals. One female may deposit several hundred eggs in her
lifetime. Under favorable conditions, a generation of mosquitoes can be completed in less
than a week.
Around your property:
Eliminate all mosquito breeding areas. Examine leaf-clogged gutters, rain pools, bird
baths, sewage lagoons, old tires, cans, bottles, children's wading pools and construction
debris. Look for anything that might catch and hold rain. Drain water from these
containers. Rinse the bird bath out weekly. Walk around your neighborhood. Try to spot
possible breeding places near your home.
Still water in birdbaths
or ponds may be treated with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) in the form of biscuits,
available at some garden and hardware stores, and suppliers. The sustained release of the
active ingredients of these products may provide up to 30 days control of mosquito larvae.
These products specifically attack mosquito larvae and will not harm fish or birds or
wildlife that drink the water.
Check all doors, windows
and window screens, making sure these are in good repair and tight. Screens should be
16-inch mesh or smaller to prevent mosquito entry into the home. Keep porch lights off as
much as possible in the evening. Or, replace traditional white light bulbs with yellow
ones to help reduce the attractiveness of your home to mosquitoes and other night-flying
insects. But, because female mosquitoes are attracted to the carbon dioxide that we exale,
using an insect repellent while outdoors can be the most important method to prevent
mosquito bites.
Working outdoors:
Wear long-sleeved shirts and full length trousers. Two layers of clothing are more
difficult to penetrate by biting mosquitoes. Wearing light-colored clothes will reduce
your attractiveness. If you do a lot of garden work, consider buying a mosquito net at a
sporting goods store wear it over your hat or cap. You may elect to use DEET (diethyl
toluamide) repellents. These come under many brand labels and many formulations (lotions,
gels, aerosols, creams, sticks). Nearly all contain DEET as the active ingredient.
Percentages of actual DEET may range from 5% to 95%. Skin applications, especially of the
more concentrated materials, may cause problems for sensitive people, small children or
the elderly. Apply more highly concentrated products to clothing rather than bare
skin.
If you are concerned about
DEET, try Avon's Skin So Soft Moisture Plus or other lotions that contain oil of
citronella, a mild insect repellent. |
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