As the summer starts rolling into our region, there are a number of pests that may bother people who enjoy spending time in the great outdoors. One of the most annoying pests, in my opinion, is the mosquito.
The oldest known mosquitos date back to the late Cretaceous period- or around 99 million years ago, and since then, over 3,500 different species of mosquitos have been identified. Of that 3,500 species, only around 176 species are present in the U.S.
Mosquitos are classified as true flies, with slender, dark grey to black bodies 3-6mm in length, six legs, and two scaled wings. Mosquitos have a lifespan of about two weeks, during which they experience four life stages. Adult female mosquitos lay their eggs, up to 100-200 per life cycle, in stagnant water. Some species lay eggs that can withstand drying out and survive for months at a time. Eggs can be ready to hatch after a few days or months, depending on the moisture and time of year. Mosquito eggs will only hatch into larvae once they have been submerged in water. Larvae will live in the water source for around five days, feeding on microorganisms until they molt three times and become a pupa. In the pupa stage, which lasts 2-3 days, the larvae develop into an adult mosquito and emerge from the water. Then, male mosquitos will live 5-7 days and seek out flower nectar to feed on and mate, while female mosquitos will mate, seek out blood meals, lay their eggs, and die. Female mosquitos have to have a blood meal before they can produce eggs. They hunt their host by detecting carbon dioxide, compounds in exhaled breath, and visual recognition. Interestingly, mosquitos prefer to feed on individuals with type O blood, heavy breathers, high body heat, high levels of skin bacteria, and pregnant women. They are most active at dawn and dusk. The itch of a mosquito bite comes from the insect’s saliva, which helps prevent blood from clotting as the mosquito feeds.
Mosquitos are a significant pest for humans- at a minimum, their itchy bites are unpleasant to deal with; but they can also be a vector for diseases. Some of the most common mosquito-borne diseases are viral fevers (yellow fever, dengue fever), parasitic diseases (malaria), West Nile, encephalitis viruses, heartworm, and zika virus. In the U.S. the most common mosquito-borne disease is West Nile virus.
There are a number of ways to protect yourself and your loved ones from mosquitos and the diseases they carry. In Extension, we promote an integrated pest management control approach to managing pests. Controlling the environment is a key way of reducing mosquitos, such as eliminating standing water where mosquitos lay their eggs and excluding them from living spaces through the use of window screens. Sometimes, your mosquito population may be resulting from habitat that you can’t control- such as a swamp or marsh. In situations where you cannot remove the standing water, it may be appropriate to apply larvicide to small areas where the mosquito larvae are developing. The last method for control is to treat the area with an adulticide- which reduces the population of adult mosquitos. The downfall of adulticides however, is that they only impact the current generation- and therefore are very short-lived. For personal control, the use of an approved insect repellant containing DEET or pyrethrum may be more practical. Finally, remember that pesticide labels are legally-binding documents and be sure to follow all requirements for safe and effective use.
Should you need more information on mosquitos, please check out the Georgia Mosquito Control Association website at gamosquito.org or contact us at 706-359-3233.
