Nobody wants a mosquito bite. At best, a bite from mosquito results in an annoying itch that can persist for several days. At worst, a mosquito bite can result in contracting a strenuous or even deadly disease. But keeping mosquitoes at bay is sometimes easier said than done. To protect you and your family, here are a few tips to get rid of mosquitoes in Denver.
What You Need To Know About Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes are parasitic flying insects that feed on the blood of other animals, much like ticks and fleas. Depending on the species, mosquitoes may prefer to feed on birds, reptiles, or small mammals, and might avoid feeding on humans at all. Or, maybe not!
Mosquitoes need a source of still water to reproduce. Ponds, puddles, and buckets of rainwater are all favorite breeding grounds for mosquitoes, although a female mosquito only needs about a bottle cap full of water to lay her eggs.
Why They’re Dangerous
Believe it or not, mosquitoes are recognized as the deadliest creature on earth. Not because of a deadly venomous sting or powerful bite, but because of the variety of deadly viruses that mosquitoes can carry. Diseases carried by mosquitoes vary from species to species, but some of the most notable pathogens they carry include malaria, dengue fever, West Nile virus, and Zika virus. These diseases can be debilitating, and in some cases, even fatal.
5 Tips For Controlling The Mosquito Population On Your Property
The good news is, there are steps you can take to reduce the mosquito population on your property. Consider trying some of the following tips:
- Do Some Yard Work: Make sure that your lawn is mowed and any areas of tall grass or dense undergrowth are cleared out. When they aren’t swarming over water or on the hunt for blood, mosquitoes tend to gather around vegetation where they can hide.
- Empty Any Standing Water On Your Property: Mosquitoes need still water to reproduce, so eliminating areas where they breed is a crucial step to controlling the population. Dump, drain, or empty anything that may be collecting water like flower pots, buckets, birdbaths, or even flat garden stones where a layer of water can form.
- Cover And Chlorinate Your Pool: If you’ve got a swimming pool on your property, it’s a big wet invitation for mosquitoes to come and breed. Make sure to treat your pool with the proper chemicals to prevent mosquito larvae from developing and cover the pool with a tight-fitting tarp when not in use.
- Recruit Natural Predators: Some animals like nothing more than munching on mosquitoes. Consider building bat houses on trees or sheds on your property to control the population. Just one bat can consume hundreds of mosquitoes in a single night. If you have a pond on your property where you suspect mosquitoes are breeding, introduce some mosquito-eating fish. Guppies, goldfish, and the aptly named mosquitofish are all-natural predators of mosquito larvae.
- Drain Or Fill Puddles And Swampy Areas: If you have puddles of standing water that forms on your property, consider filling them with sand or constructing a drainage channel to divert any water that may accumulate.
While there are steps that you can take to get rid of mosquitoes on your property, the best thing you can do is to get professional help. The experts at White Knight Pest Control have years of experience in treating Denver properties for mosquitoes and will work with you to eliminate the problem. Our technicians will administer professional treatment, eliminating mosquitoes where they breed and where they hide for up to 30 days per treatment. If you need help to control the mosquito population on your Denver, CO property, get in touch with us today at White Knight Pest Control.