Mosquitoes are a menace to homes. Not only are they a real nuisance, buzzing from ear to ear, but they are also disease carriers. There are many DIYs you can do to prevent mosquitoes from getting into your home, but once the infestation starts to creep in, the best move will be to hire a pest control professional.
Why is it that important? Looking at them, they do not seem to amount to anything: they are small, they look fragile, and they are clumsy fliers. Well, mosquitoes are notorious for their reputation of being the most dangerous creatures on earth. This is because they have caused the death of more people than any wars in history combined. Until now, even with modern technology, they still kill millions of people every year. These tiny, blood-sucking insects are capable of transmitting diseases like malaria, dengue fever, West Nile fever, encephalitis, elephantiasis, and yellow fever.
This is the reason why it is good to invest money in getting rid of mosquitoes. But like in any other investment, you have to be sure you are investing it wisely. This means calling the right pest control company; one that uses effective methods and is proven safe. A fogging machine is one of the proven methods in exterminating mosquitoes.
Go-Forth Home Services, the leading pest control company in the Charlotte, NC area, is here to discuss the dangers of mosquitoes, the benefits of fogging, and what to do after the treatment.
What Are Mosquitoes?
The Culicidae, or more commonly known as the mosquitoes, are tiny, fragile-looking, bloodsucking insects. They are considered carnivores. It grows only to about .125 to .75 inches and .00008 ounces in weight. Their lifespan is 2 to 6 months.
All in all, there are more than 3,000 identified species of mosquitoes, but there are only three groups of mosquitoes that are responsible for spreading all these diseases: the Anopheles, which is the only species that carry malaria, plus filariasis and encephalitis; Culex mosquitoes, which carry filariasis, encephalitis, and West Nile virus; and the Aedes mosquitoes, which the dreaded dengue fever, yellow fever, and encephalitis. The Asian tiger mosquito belongs to the last group.
Only the female mosquitoes suck blood; the males only feed on nectar. This is because it is only the female mosquitoes that are equipped with the proper mouthparts for bloodsucking. Their mouths have two tubes: one is for releasing an enzyme that would prevent blood clotting, and the other is to suck blood. Female mosquitoes need the blood, not for their nourishment, but because it would help fertilize their eggs. Females feed on nectar for their nourishment.
Mosquitoes have poor eyesight, so they rely on their other senses to find their hosts. In particular, they use their sense of smell; they can detect carbon dioxide emitted by humans, their body temperature, and even movement to get to their hosts.
Mosquitoes transmit diseases in different ways. Parasites connect themselves to the female mosquito’s gut and enter a new host as she feeds. This is the case in spreading malaria. Another way of transmission is when a virus enters a mosquito while it feeds on an infected human and is transmitted by that same mosquito through saliva when it transfers to another human to feed. This is why there are cases of diseases like yellow fever that are common in other countries but are now also in the United States, as American travelers get infected and bring the infection back home.
Lifecycle
Female mosquitoes love to breed in standing water. They lay their eggs there.
Mosquitoes undergo a complete metamorphosis. They start as eggs. Female adults either lay their eggs directly on top of the water, or at the sides, in tree holes, or in other areas where flooding is common. The length of time before these eggs hatch depends on the species. In some species, the eggs will hatch after a few days, depending on the temperature. For some species, the eggs may lay dormant for years until the ideal hatching environment arrives.
After the eggs hatch, they become larvae. The larvae are suspended from the water surfaces so they can still breathe. They feed on aquatic microorganisms near the surface of the water. The larvae stage can last for 4 to 14 days.
After the larvae stage, they turn to the pupal stage. However, they still need to breathe air. In this stage, they do not feed and last from 1 to 4 days.
After the pupal stage, they now become adults. The male adults emerge immediately, waiting for female mates. Mating happens at once due to their high mortality rates. The cycle starts all over again.
Mosquito-Borne Diseases
Here are just a few of the reasons why mosquitoes are deadly. They transmit these diseases.
Dengue
Dengue fever is a painful, debilitating, and life-threatening disease. The four dengue viruses are simply known as Dengue viruses 1, 2, 3, and 4. One person may get the disease four times during his lifetime. It is the number one cause of illnesses and deaths in tropical and subtropical countries. Symptoms include sudden high fever that lasts for a week, vomiting, severe headaches, difficulty breathing, a tendency to bruise easily, pain behind the eyes, nausea, skin rash, black and tarry stools, and bleeding nose or gum. There is no known treatment for this disease and we will do well to focus on prevention instead.
Malaria
Malaria is a deadly disease caused by a bite from a female Anopheles mosquito. Here in the United States, malaria is a result of increased travel by Americans to countries where the parasites are endemic, then return to the U.S. already with the infection after being bitten by a mosquito. Initial symptoms are fever, headache, muscle aches, nausea, muscle aches, chills, and tiredness. If not treated within 24 hours, malaria can progress to severe illness and even death. Once you suspect having malaria, see your healthcare provider immediately.
West Nile Fever
This is the most common mosquito-borne disease in the United States. Out of those people who are infected, only 20 percent show symptoms. A person with mild symptoms 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. However, for people with more advanced symptoms, the patient will have meningitis and permanent brain damage. When the central nervous system gets affected, death may follow. Senior citizens or those with medical conditions are at higher risk of getting severe symptoms. Seek immediate help from your healthcare provider if you have these symptoms.
Yellow Fever
It is named as such due to jaundice that appears in some of the patients. Most people are asymptomatic, however. Those with symptoms will have a fever, chills, severe headache, body pains, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and weakness. Of these people who show symptoms, a smaller percentage may have a more severe phase within one day. Afterward, they may have jaundice, high fever, dark urine, and abdominal pains. There may be bleeding in the eyes, nose, mouth, and stomach. After this, the patients may die after 7 to 10 days
Mosquito Fogging Machine
In popular culture, fogging machines are known for their use in horror movies, or Halloween parties. Then there are fogging machines that are used by pest control professionals for fighting the deadly mosquitoes.
Fogging is an effective way to get rid of flying pests. This is not to be confused with fumigation, they are two different beasts. Even though both use insecticides, fogging is the preferred method among professionals since it is more effective.
With fogging, technicians use a combination of hydrogen peroxide and silver ion solution. Fogging poses little to no negative effects on people and is considered safe.
How to Clean up After Fogging My House
Fogging does not necessarily require you to clean up thoroughly after. The chemicals will lose their potency once dry. Make sure your food is kept and food preparation surfaces are covered. Leave your house so technicians can work on the fogging without worrying about you.
When it is safe to return, focus on cleaning anything that touches food using warm, soapy water. Then wash floors since children and pets are always in contact with these surfaces when they play. Vacuum carpets and sweep floors and other areas where you see dead insects.
There you go. These are some cleaning tips immediately after fogging.
If you are looking for the best mosquito control services to do all the dirty work for you when it comes to mosquitoes and other pests, call Go-Forth Home Services.
Go-Forth Home Services gets rid of your pests including, but not limited to, mosquitoes, cockroaches, bed bugs, mice, rats, poisonous spiders, weevils, termites, ants, and silverfish. To request a free quote, or to get more information, call us now. Our friendly operators are standing by to assist you.