What You Need to Know About Mosquito Season in Florida

While the year-round temperate weather is one of the many perks of living in Florida, any resident of the Sunshine State can tell you those perks come with a price—including a nearly year-round mosquito season. Thanks to plenty of warmth and moisture, two conditions where mosquito populations thrive, mosquito season in Florida doesn’t have a clear beginning or end point. However, Florida mosquito species are most active in the spring and summer months, when warm temperatures combined with frequent, heavy rains produce thriving mosquito populations.

What You Need To Know About Mosquito Season in Florida

In any geographic region, mosquito season depends on rainfall and temperature. In many parts of the country, the first warm days of spring signal the start of mosquito season, and winter’s first frost signals the end—except in more arid areas, where mosquito populations don’t pose a problem even in colder months.

But while January is typically Florida’s coldest … Read Full Post »

Are Mosquitoes Attracted to Light?

We all love to spend relaxing evenings out on the patio. That said, outdoor lighting can attract unwelcome visitors. Don’t let flying insects, especially mosquitoes, ruin your night.

One question we often hear from frustrated homeowners: what are mosquitoes attracted to? Our pest control experts reviewed several recent scientific studies to help determine what changes homeowners can make to outdoor lighting to make your porch less attractive to flying creatures.

What Attracts Mosquitoes?

Are Mosquitoes Attracted to Light?
How Do I Keep Mosquitoes Away From My Lights?
Do Insects Avoid LED Lights?
What’s the Ideal Bulb for Outdoor Lighting?
Are Flying Insects Bugging You?

Are Mosquitoes Attracted to Light?

The short answer is yes – but why, exactly, are bugs attracted to light? Many flying insects, including moths, mosquitoes, and many flies, find the glow of artificial lights irresistible. The scientific term for the attraction bugs have to light is phototaxis.

Positive phototaxis describes the behavior of … Read Full Post »

How to Keep Mosquitoes Out of Your Yard

October 19, 2016. Posted by Les Stobart in Mosquito Control, Pest Control • Austin

Mosquitoes thrive in warm weather. When it cools down in Austin, we all get excited at the prospect of going outside without getting bitten. Unfortunately, the temperature hasn’t dropped enough to completely get rid of mosquitoes, but we still want to enjoy the cooler weather. What’s a homeowner to do to keep mosquitoes out of his or her yard?

How to Keep Mosquitoes Out of Your Yard

Your most important first step to is to recognize mosquito breeding grounds in your yard and get rid of them as quickly as possible. Mosquitoes breed in standing water. Make your yard as inhospitable as possible by getting rid of standing water. Remember that even tiny amounts of water – like a thimbleful – can be breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Scan your yard on a daily basis for standing water sources and dump any that you find. If you see mosquito larvae in the process, … Read Full Post »

Meet the Mosquito Everyone’s Talking About in Orlando

October 14, 2016. Posted by Vanessa Jenkins Green in Mosquito Control, Pest Control • Orlando

People are buzzing about mosquitoes here in Orlando, and there’s a good reason why. One species found in central Florida, Aedes aegypti, is the primary vector that transmits the Zika virus to humans. Although the long-term implications of the spread of the virus are unknown, Zika causes severe neurological conditions such as microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Mosquitoes In Orlando

With our wet climate and wetlands, mosquitoes love Orlando. With the rising threat of mosquito-borne diseases in our area, it’s essential to understand the problem we face in our region and take steps to control mosquitoes around our homes.

Below we’ll look at some of the types of mosquitoes we have in Orlando and what you can do to protect yourself and your family.

Types of Mosquitoes

Out of the approximately 3,500 species of mosquitoes, we’re fortunate to only have 171 here in the US. However, more than in any other state, Florida is home to … Read Full Post »

Sneaky Ways to Prevent Mosquito Attacks

August 22, 2016. Posted by Les Stobart in Mosquito Control, Pest Control • San Antonio

Every summer in San Antonio, two things seem to be constant: our oppressive heat and swarms of mosquitoes that follow us everywhere we go. While there’s not much we can do about the heat; mosquitoes are another matter.

Find out why these annoying insects are such a problem and discover some ways you can outsmart mosquitoes before they can ruin your summer fun.

Why are mosquitoes such a problem?

In recent years doctors and scientists have grown increasingly concerned about mosquito-borne diseases. In particular, officials are worried about the Zika virus, which first appeared in the United States this year. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, as of August 12, 2016, there have been 106 cases of Zika virus disease in the state of Texas.

For those who contract Zika, it usually is a mild illness with common flu-like symptoms, and generally, lasts about a week. More troubling is the potential … Read Full Post »

Don’t Let Mosquitoes Ruin Your Baseball Fun

August 22, 2016. Posted by Les Stobart in Mosquito Control, Pest Control • Corpus Christi

When you visit Whataburger Field, you’re looking forward to a great day enjoying the Corpus Christi Hooks. You might also try a dip in the swimming pool or hot tub, check out the rock climbing wall or hang out at the kid’s playground.

Not included in this day of fun at the ballpark is fighting swarms of mosquitoes!

Let’s take a look at ways you can keep mosquitoes away while having a blast rooting for the Hooks.

Why worry about mosquitoes?

Sure mosquito bites are annoying, but you can handle a few itchy bites, right?

Not so fast.

With the rise of mosquito-borne disease, especially West Nile and Zika viruses, it’s important to take precautions. Even Yellow Fever, also carried by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, has made a recent comeback in Africa.

In particular, you’d be smart to protect yourself and your family against the Zika virus, an illness that first appeared in the United States this … Read Full Post »

Mosquitoes: 10 Little-Known Facts About the Buzzing Pests

August 2, 2016. Posted by Les Stobart in Mosquito Control, Pest Control • Bryan-College Station

With all the negative conversation surrounding mosquitoes these days, it seems like the animal is only in this world to ruin our barbecues and cause problems. And with diseases like Zika, Dengue, and Malaria, it’s hard to believe otherwise.

But lucky for mosquitoes, we have a soft spot for all pests and bugs (even the annoying ones), and we were determined to help improve their reputation. We knew there had to be something interesting about them—and we were right!

Here are a few lesser-known, yet fascinating facts about mosquitoes.

1. All in a name

Originating back to the 16th century, the word “mosquito” is Spanish for “little fly.” Despite their name, though, there’s nothing little about the mosquito family. While there are only 176 mosquito species in the United States, scientists have identified over 3,000 species of mosquitoes worldwide.

2. Here, not there

While it might seem like the same mosquito followed you from your front … Read Full Post »

Mosquito Bite FAQ’s: Resisting the urge to scratch

July 19, 2016. Posted by Les Stobart in Mosquito Control, Pest Control • San Antonio

Let’s face it: nobody likes mosquitoes. Or their bites.

But when you live in a city like San Antonio, mosquitos are a part of life. And it doesn’t look like they’re going anywhere anytime soon.

That’s why we compiled a list answering a few popular questions people have about those unwanted pests. From the whys and what’s, to the do’s and dont’s of what to do if a mosquito lands on you.

Top Moquito Bite FAQ’s

Q1: Why do mosquitoes bite people?

Mosquitoes are nearly impossible to eliminate. They can adapt to changing environments and grow steadily in the summer months when temperatures are both hot and humid, or what we like to call mid-July San Antonio weather.

You may not know this, but only a small percentage of mosquitoes bite humans. And while that may come as a surprise to some, it’s because mosquitoes bite to reproduce, not to live.

Female mosquitoes bite people to gather protein … Read Full Post »

The City of Bryan wants to help you get rid of those mosquitoes!

July 15, 2016. Posted by Les Stobart in Mosquito Control, Pest Control • Bryan-College Station

With diseases like Zika and the West Nile virus, it’s more important than ever to reduce your exposure to mosquitoes. Managing these biting nuisances on your own property can be hard enough, but if your neighbors aren’t also taking steps to control them, you face a losing battle. Short of staying inside all summer, is there anything you can do?

For people in Bryan, there’s good news. City leaders are committed to reducing the mosquito threat. Realizing that controlling these insects is a community effort, Bryan established a special Mosquito Abatement Program (COBMAP). Their program team up with residents, neighborhood groups and homeowner associations to fight mosquitoes throughout the city.

How can you help reduce mosquitoes in your neighborhood

The Bryan Mosquito Abatement Program recognizes that the best way to banish mosquitoes is to get everyone involved in the effort. To this end, there are several things you can do immediately to turn … Read Full Post »

Mosquito Bite On Foot: Why Do Mosquitoes Bite Ankles?

May 28, 2016. Posted by Les Stobart in Mosquito Control, Pest Control • Corpus Christi

Stepping outside during certain times of the year requires a layer of clothing and mosquito repellent—otherwise, you risk getting eaten alive by mosquitoes. Even when you spray yourself down, you still may find yourself complaining to friends and family, “I have a million mosquito bites on my foot!” and asking yourself, “Why Do mosquitoes bite ankles?” Why is it that these pesky critters always seem to find us and bite that one spot that we missed? Researchers have been studying the behavior of mosquitoes to see what repels and attracts these biting bugs.

Why Is There A Mosquito Bite On My Foot?

According to a story on National Public Radio, researchers at the University of California, Riverside have learned that mosquitoes use specific sensors near their mouths to determine the presence of carbon dioxide. If carbon dioxide is in the area, mosquitoes assume that humans or animals that provide the blood they … Read Full Post »