"Isn't it great to have mosquitoes!" said no one, ever. Mosquitoes in McKinney are among the most hated pests in the world, but not just because they are annoying and leave itchy red welts on the skin. Mosquitoes are dangerous because they can transmit harmful, and even deadly, diseases. Today we are looking at the diseases mosquitoes spread and what you can do to protect yourself from mosquitoes.
Mosquito Description
Mosquitoes are a type of fly. They have six legs and two wings. Adult mosquitoes don’t live long. Females lay their eggs in stagnant water. These develop into wigglers, the mosquito larvae. They are predators and eat small animals in the water. Mosquitoes pupate after that, then hatch into adults. The adults hide in plants in a shady place during the day. Shrubs around your foundation can harbor a lot of mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes Are Dangerous
Females must have a blood meal before they can lay their eggs. If a mosquito bites someone with a disease, she sucks up the disease with the blood. She then turns around and bites the next person. When she injects her saliva, she can inject the disease. Mosquitoes kill more people than any other animal in the world. They are able to carry a number of diseases that are harmful or even fatal to humans. They even carry canine heartworms. Some of the diseases they carry in the United States are:
- Chikungunya – This disease was found in the Americas for the first time in 2013. There are fears it may spread from the Caribbean to the United States with travelers carrying it home.
- Dengue – According to the CDC, 400 million people get infected with this virus every year. One hundred million people get sick from it, and 22,000 people die from it. It occurs naturally in Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and American Samoa. It periodically breaks out in the continental United States when travelers bring it back home with them.
- Malaria –According to the CDC, in 2018, 228 million got malaria worldwide, with 405,000 dying, many of them children. In the US, there were about 2,000 cases.
- West Nile virus – According to the CDC, West Nile virus (WNV) is the most common mosquito-borne virus in the U.S. Most people do not get sick when infected with WNV, but about 1 in 5 get sick, and of those cases, 1 in 150 people are severely ill and may die.
- Yellow fever – This disease is rare in the United States. It is found in the tropical and subtropical areas of Africa and South America. People traveling there should get a yellow fever vaccine before they go.
- Zika virus – There was not any local transmission of this illness in 2019. Travelers to South America may bring it home. Pregnant women are urged not to go to the areas it is endemic because of the severe damage it can cause to her unborn baby when the mother contracts the disease.
Prevention Of Mosquito Bites
There are two ways to prevent mosquito bites: control the environment in your yard and control what you wear.
Environment: Make sure there is no standing water in your yard. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water.
- Remove tires and junk from the yard.
- Cut down tall grass and weeds.
- Cut back shrubs and vines to eliminate hiding places for mosquitoes.
- Make sure window screens are on the windows and have no holes or frayed spots a mosquito can enter through.
- Change the water at least once a week in birdbaths, dog dishes, and other outside water sources you can’t drain.
Bite Prevention On You: Disease carrying mosquitos can bite day or night if the temperature is 55 (F) or above. Here are some things you can do to keep from being bitten when you go outside:
- Avoid going outside at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.
- Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants. Wear clothes made out of tight-weave cloth so the mosquito can’t bite through it.
- Spray a repellent containing DEET on your person, following the instructions on the container.
Get Professional Help
Mosquitoes can make the outdoors miserable, especially if you are allergic to their bites. If you are planning a party outside, or just want your yard to be mosquito-free from March to October during mosquito season, you need to contact a professional pest company. Adams Exterminating Company can help. We will send a technician out to do a backyard misting, which sends product into the foliage and against your house where mosquitoes rest. We can also install our In2Care system of mosquito traps, which attract mosquitoes, poison them, then let them die. If you are bothered by mosquitoes at any time of the year, Call Adams Exterminating Company at (940) 239-9786 for your free estimate.