Did you know there are over 100 trillion mosquitoes on the planet? That’s pretty impossible to even begin counting.
That also means your odds are pretty high to run into one of these pesky insects on a daily basis, but that’s probably something you’d prefer not to happen. Mosquitos can spread the Zika and West Nile virus, to name a few, so it’s best to avoid them.
With mosquito season in full swing, you may want to know more about mosquito control and how to get rid of mosquitoes that seem to be taking over. Keep reading and we’ll give you all of the tips!
When Is Mosquito Season in Florida?
The mosquito season in Florida starts in the spring and reaches its peak in the summer. It slowly tapers on as Fall rolls around.
However, the exact start of the season can depend on several factors like when the weather becomes warmer and when more rain starts to fall. As rain falls, this is when the eggs begin to hatch – and that is when mosquito season truly starts.
Why Are Mosquitoes Attracted to Me?
You may be wondering why mosquitoes tend to come toward us and bother us when we are outside on a summer night.
Initially, the reason is that they are attracted to the carbon dioxide that we exhale. As they get closer to us, they are attracted to our body heat as well. This is when they can also start to sense the blood.
Mosquitoes tend to be attracted more toward people with type O blood as well as pregnant women and beer drinkers.
Tips for Getting Rid of Mosquitoes
If you want to avoid mosquitoes near your home and bothering you when you step outside to enjoy a nice summer night, you will want to follow these tips. There are several good ones!
Use Pest Control Services
One of the best ways to ensure that mosquitoes don’t bother you this mosquito season is to use pest control services. When trying to decide who to hire, you’ll want to ask some specific questions to see what they are all about and what they can do for you.
For mosquito control services at Prodigy Pest Solutions, you can expect the pest control service to use a killer that is fogged onto the plants, ground, and trees where mosquitoes may be hiding to get rid of them on contact. From there, there is an insect growth regulator that ensures that adult mosquitoes cannot reproduce because they become sterile.
The services are monthly to ensure that the mosquitoes do not come back, but no contract is required for the monthly services – it is up to you on a monthly basis!
Keep Up With Lawn Maintenance
Not only does your lawn look better when you maintain it, but it can also prevent mosquitoes from infesting it. This is because long grass is a breeding ground for mosquito larva.
The better your yard looks to you, the worse it looks to mosquitoes.
Avoid Standing Water
Any type of standing water is a breeding ground for mosquitoes like marshes, pools, and drainage ditches.
While you probably don’t want to get rid of your pool, you can do other things to take preventative action.
For instance, you can keep your gutters clean from standing water by doing regular maintenance. This will also ensure you clean out any parts of the gutter where standing water could come into play or come into contact with mosquito eggs, making them hatch. If you notice that your gutters are lying horizontally, you may want to reposition how they sit so that water doesn’t always end up sitting in there, especially if you are somewhere with a lot of rain or melting snow.
Use Citronella
If you are trying to keep mosquitoes away from you as you enjoy a night outside, you can use Citronella on your patio outdoors. This comes in the form of oils, candles, and coils. So whether you light a candle and set it on your table or put the oil on your skin, you will prevent yourself from being attacked by the unwanted pests.
This will repel the mosquitoes that come close so there is less of a likelihood that they will bother you and your friends!
Treatment for Mosquito Bites
If you do get bit by a mosquito, it’s usually not the most fun experience. It can be itchy and painful, and the more you itch it, the worse it gets. So what can you do?
Apply an Ice Pack
Apply an ice pack for 10 minutes to the bite. This will reduce the swelling and itching.
Take time off from the ice and then reapply later as needed.
Use Topical Cream
Apply an antihistamine cream to the area of the bite. This can help with itching, just be sure to follow the directions on the tube or bottle.
Take an Oral Antihistamine
Taking medication like Benadryl in the case of extreme bites or lots of them may help reduce the itchiness. Just make sure to consult a doctor first!
Surviving Mosquito Season
Mosquito season can be quite a pesky season to deal with. You feel that you can’t go outside, and if you do, it can be miserable when mosquitos bite you and you become itchy.
But there are ways to avoid the worst parts of mosquito season! Follow these tips to reduce your encounters.
If you want to prepare to the best of your ability, you can also contact us for your mosquito control needs!