Mosquitoes do not seem to amount to anything. They are small and lightweight, they are clumsy flyers, and they are solitary. They are only .125 inches to 0.75 inches in size and weigh 0.000088 ounces. Even with all that, they might as well be known as small but terrible.
There are not many creatures on this planet that can call to mind such hatred than the mosquitoes do for humans. Why not? I am pretty sure that when you ask around what the most dangerous creature on earth is, they would answer would be a shark, lion, crocodile, or any other beasts. The truth is, these awesome beasts are too tame when compared to the mosquitoes.
How Dangerous Are The Mosquitoes?
At the very least, mosquitoes can be a nuisance. They are irritating insects who fly right at your face and buzz near your ears. When they find their next host, they bite and they suck blood, leaving an itchy red mark on the skin. If you are fortunate, these bites would resolve on its own without any medication.
More than being a nuisance, mosquitoes carry with them so much pain and suffering, and this is not an overstatement. They are disease vectors, and they carry some of the deadliest diseases known to man. Mosquitoes, or the diseases that they spread, have caused the deaths of millions of people worldwide each year. It is also said that they have caused more deaths than all the wars in history. True enough, they deserve to be called “the most dangerous creatures” on earth.
To counter the presence of the mosquitoes, it is best to call the best pest control experts in Columbia SC. To determine who the best is, they should have experience in dealing with all kinds of pests, be it mosquitoes, roaches, mice, termites, and ants. They should have highly skilled professionals and a state of the art equipment to counter these pests.
Only the female adult mosquitoes are capable of biting and sucking blood. The reason is only the females have the necessary mouthparts to bite. Mosquitoes have poor eyesight. They are able to detect their next host by sensing their body odor, or temperature, or the carbon dioxide released by the potential host. They use two tubes when sucking the blood, one tube to excrete and inject an enzyme to prevent blood clotting; the other is used to suck blood.
Mosquitoes Transmit Diseases
The reason why mosquitoes are so dangerous is because of the diseases that they spread. Here are some of the diseases they are known to carry:
West Nile Virus - The West Nile virus is the virus that causes the West Nile fever. Transmission is always through mosquito bites of the infected mosquitoes. Human to human transfer does not occur.
Of those bitten, only 20 % show symptoms. Symptoms usually show after 3 days to two weeks after being bitten. If a patient has mild symptoms, he will recover quickly. Symptoms could be a mild fever, body aches, headaches, diarrhea, vision loss, numbness, body rashes, swollen lymph glands, muscle weakness, and paralysis. In a severe case, the patient may have meningitis and permanent brain damage. Death can occur when the central nervous system gets affected. People over 60 are at higher risk of getting severe symptoms. Same with those with medical conditions like cancer.
If you think that you may have West Nile fever, seek medical attention. The doctor can order tests to verify if you contracted the virus.
Chikungunya - This is a disease caused by a virus and transmitted to humans through bites by infected mosquitoes. Cases are mostly found in countries within Asia, Europe, and Africa. That being said, the United States Is still very vulnerable because of the constant travel to these places by its citizens, so complacency has no place for us here. As for the symptoms, the most common are fever and joint pain. There is no vaccine for this, so travelers going to places where the virus is common are advised to take precautionary measures to avoid mosquito bites.
Symptoms appear after 3 to 7 days of being bitten by a mosquito. Patients with chikungunya virus have a fever, joint pain, joint swelling, rashes, and headaches. Chikungunya is not fatal. After a week, the patient usually would feel better. What’s more, those who were infected develop immunity from this disease.
Dengue - This is a disease that is both painful and weakening. It is also possibly life-threatening. Dengue fever is the number one cause of illnesses and deaths in tropical and subtropical countries. Reportedly, it is estimated that the number of infections is from 390 to 400 million. Most cases occur in tropical countries like Africa, Mexico, the Pacific Islands, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Central and South America.
The United States is still vulnerable to having dengue cases due to the fact that travel to these countries is common.
The symptoms begin to show 3 to 6 days after being infected. These include sudden high fever that lasts for 2 to 7 days. Vomiting, severe abdominal pain, severe headaches, difficulty breathing, nausea, skin rash, black and tarry stool, and bleeding nose or gum are some of the other symptoms.
Malaria - Malaria is a serious and fatal disease caused by a bite from a female mosquito. A parasite which the mosquito transfers to a human after a bite is actually the source of malaria. To be specific, it is the Plasmodium parasites that cause it. It was estimated that there were 450,000 cases of this disease in 90 countries and almost half of them resulted in deaths. Malaria cases in the United States are caused by traveling to countries where the parasites are endemic. And when they return back to the U.S. already with the infection after being bitten by a mosquito knowingly or unknowingly. The initial symptoms are fever, headache, muscle aches, nausea, muscle aches, chills, and tiredness. However, these are common symptoms for any other diseases and identifying them as symptoms of malaria would be very difficult. But if not treated within 24 hours, malaria can progress to severe illness and even death.
Population Control
To stop these diseases from spreading, controlling the mosquito population is the most important step. Here are some of the ways you can get rid of mosquitoes:
1. Since mosquitoes breed in stagnant water, efforts should be made to remove items that can hold water. Remove old cans, old gutters, old tires, and other similar items. Mosquitoes breed in the water that has been standing for at least one week.
2. Use mosquito repellent. Look for one that is Environment Protection Agency registered repellent and that has the ingredient DEET for added protection
3. As much as possible, wear a long-sleeved shirt and long pants when going outside. The lesser skin you expose, the lesser chance of getting bitten.
4. Use a mosquito swatter to reduce the number of mosquitoes. Though this will not entirely eliminate the mosquitoes, this will effectively kill those mosquitoes within your sight.
5. Insecticide spraying that you can buy from the store can also be used to kill mosquitoes.
6. Use a mosquito net in your bedroom. Mosquitoes are creatures of the night, and for some reason, they like to go to the bedrooms. Mosquito nets can protect you while you sleep.
Mosquitoes, as mentioned above, are so dangerous that it should warrant professional attention to get rid of them. If you need the best pest experts in Columbia SC, then call Go-Forth Home Services.
Why Go-Forth Home Services?
Go-Forth Home Services is a family-owned company with excellent experience in exterminating all kinds of pests, which include mosquitoes, termites, roaches, mice, weevils, bed bugs, moths, spiders, and centipedes. They have a team of expert technicians who are highly skilled and well trained who can offer advice as to what kind of service you require. Go-Forth Home Services utilizes only the latest and most advanced equipment in the business. They also use family friendly and pet-friendly methods of extermination, so you are assured of your safety as well as your family’s. They also offer same day service, and we can talk about special rates.
Go-Forth Home Services has earned the trust of residents and businesses in Columbia for more than 50 years. For more inquiries, or to set an appointment, just call (877) 274-1475. Our friendly operators are standing by.
About Columbia SC
Columbia is the capital of South Carolina and its second largest city. It has a population of more than 800,000 residents across six counties, stretching across Richland and Lexington counties. It now serves as the county seat for Richard county.
Columbia is rich in history. On March 22, 1786, a bill was approved by the state legislature establishing Columbia as the capital. Columbia went on to grow as the decades passed. In 1865 during the civil war, much of the city was burned. In 1917, Fort Jackson was established for army training during World War I.
Columbia has perfect weather during the fall and spring. The climate is pleasant here, and along with the city’s progress, makes for a perfect place to raise a family.