Mosquitoes, perhaps the most universally hated pest, are taking up residence in The Bay Area. Unfortunately, they aren’t just annoying, they’re dangerous, too. The summer’s patchwork blanket of bites on your skin is just the start of the problems this pest can cause.
Mosquito Specs
Mosquitoes range in size from ⅛ to ⅜ of an inch long, are usually gray or black, use their long proboscis (their mouths) to bite, and are active in the morning and the evening. These tiny, difficult-to-spot assailants are responsible for more than one million deaths a year, mostly due to Malaria, and though Malaria is less of a danger in the US, West Nile, dengue fever, and Eastern equine encephalitis are more of a threat. Each of these can be transmitted by mosquitoes. With this, any sane person would be looking for ways to reduce mosquito presence near their homes. Luckily, there are ways to prevent them from both marking you as a delicacy and from making your Bay Area home their own.
How To Prevent Mosquito Bites
Prevention is the most cost-effective way to eliminate mosquito threats, and there are a few things that mosquitoes find irresistible that are more likely to draw them to you. While some people are more attractive to mosquitoes due to no fault of their own, there are ways to make yourself a less likely target. Try these tips to prevent becoming Mosquito’s Most Wanted:
- Wear light-colored clothing that covers your arms and legs.
- Treat clothing with permethrin, following product instructions carefully.
- Stay inside during dawn and dusk when they are most active.
- Wear insect repellent when outdoors, being sure to avoid the eyes and mouth.
- Keep small fans pointing away from you during outdoor gatherings.
- Cover strollers and baby carriers.
These tips are helpful for any kind of outdoor gathering, but if your home is a mosquito hotspot, it becomes all the more difficult to prevent a bite. Thankfully, there are methods to keep your home mosquito-free.
How To Keep Mosquitoes Away From Your Property
Areas with standing water are mosquito paradise and their best bet at reproducing, so prevention tips always start with eliminating the draw that could bring them to your home. Making your property less appealing to mosquitoes might involve:
- Removing items that collect standing water from around the home, e.g. tires, flower pots, holes, forgotten kiddie pools, etc.
- Changing regular water fixtures like animal water bowls and birdbaths regularly.
- Looking for clogged gutters, uneven landscape, and leaking hoses or sprinklers that might leave standing water on your lawn.
- Hanging mosquito nets over screen doors, windows, swings, or outdoor hangouts.
- Treating and circulating swimming pools.
- Replacing outdoor lights with “bug lights” which, while not preventative, will attract fewer mosquitoes.
As with any kind of pest, sometimes prevention doesn’t do the trick. When you realize you’ve got a mosquito problem, don’t wait to hire a professional to evaluate and eliminate the threat. Fortunately, if mosquitoes aren’t responding to preventative measures, Bay Pest Solution can help. Using pesticides and chemicals on your own can be intimidating and scary, and when done incorrectly could be dangerous and ineffective. Instead, trust Bay Pest Solution with pest elimination and keep yourself safe.
Bay Pest Solution has been protecting homes in The Bay Area for more than 40 years. We offer online discounts and plans that will protect you from pests during every season. Reach out to us today to schedule your free inspection.