How To Stop The Mosquito Bites

We eagerly anticipate the warm summer months after a long winter and cool spring. However, when the ideal weather arrives, the constant buzzing and biting of mosquitoes can spoil an otherwise delightful evening spent outdoors. Understanding mosquitoes’ nature and habits is essential to preventing mosquito bites. On that note, let’s dive in!

Mosquito bites are more than annoying

Preventing mosquito bites not only relieves the annoying itch but also significantly reduces the risk of contracting various mosquito-borne diseases. In Colorado, where diseases like West Nile virus, Western equine encephalitis, and St. Louis encephalitis are prevalent, this knowledge is particularly crucial.

Eliminate standing water and disrupt mosquito breeding

Understanding the life cycle of mosquitoes is key to preventing their proliferation. Mosquitoes go through four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Water is essential for the first three stages, as the eggs need standing water to survive and develop. The adult mosquito will lay her eggs either in standing water or in low areas that will eventually flood. The eggs can remain dormant until they are covered with water, which will activate the hatching process and the larvae will emerge within days. These larvae also need water to survive and will transform into the pupa stage just before hatching into an adult mosquito. Once the adult mosquito emerges, it can begin reproducing almost immediately. When you remove the water adult, female mosquitoes need to complete their reproduction efforts, you make it harder for these biting pests to gain a foothold.

Search your property for any amount of standing water. This can include clogged gutters, birdbaths, wading pools, discarded tires, flowerpot trays, and anything else that can accumulate small amounts of standing water. Empty the water often to prevent eggs from hatching into mosquito larvae. Another suggestion is to keep the lawn cut short and eliminate any growth of tall weeks.

Mosquitoes seem to be attracted to darker clothing. Wear light-colored clothing and cover your skin as much as possible. Lighter-colored material and long sleeves and pants will help stop those pesky mosquitoes from biting. Mosquitoes also love nectar from flowers. Don’t use floral-smelling perfume, lotions, or similar items, as they will attract mosquitoes to your body. Of course, clothing and fragrances aren’t the only things that attract these bugs; learn more about what attracts mosquitoes to humans here.

Other mosquito prevention tips

In addition to removing standing water that mosquitoes breed in, there are other ways to discourage mosquito activity on your property.

• Keep your grass cut short.
• Cut back overgrown vegetation.
• Thin out bushes and shrubs.

Click here for more mosquito prevention tips.

Seasonal mosquito control for Colorado residents

EnviroPest provides effective seasonal mosquito control services in Denver, Boulder, Colorado Springs, Loveland, and other areas of Northern Colorado. Our monthly treatments, conducted from May to September, specifically target mosquito breeding sites and hot spots. While complete mosquito eradication is not possible, our treatments are designed to significantly reduce the mosquito population in your area.

Contact EnviroPest today and let our experienced pest control experts reduce the mosquito population in your yard.

This blog was originally published on 06/30/15; it has been updated to reflect the most up to date information.