Pest Expert Overview: Mosquitoes in Bryan & College Station
Mosquitoes are considered the world’s most dangerous animal. This is because of all the deadly and debilitating diseases they can transmit to people. You can read more about these diseases in our blog post https://www.venuspest.com/3-scariest-diseases-spread-by-mosquitoes-in-america/
Mosquitoes are in the Order Diptera, the same as flies. They are in Family Culicidae. There are around 85 different species of mosquitoes in Texas. The most important mosquito species in Texas are Asian Tiger Mosquito (Aedes albopictus), Southern House Mosquito (Culex quinquefasciatus), Encephalitis Mosquito (Culex tarsalis), Saltmarsh Mosquito (Aedes sollicitans), Yellow Fever Mosquito (Aedes aegypti), Dark Ricefield Mosquito (Psorophora columbiae), Inland Floodwater Mosquito (Aedes vexans).
Life Cycle
Mosquitoes have a life cycle like butterflies; They go from egg to larvae to pupae then to adult.. Adult female mosquitoes produce approximately 300 eggs in their lifetime. Eggs are laid on or near water. The larvae develop in water, where they feed on small aquatic organisms and decaying organic matter. Both male and female adult mosquitoes will feed on plant nectar, while only the female adults feed on blood. The cycle from egg to adult takes about 14 days and adults live about 30 days. Most species of mosquitoes can fly around 200 yards, but some can fly up to 10 miles at speeds varying from 0.6-1 mph.
Mosquito Control and Prevention
😊 Eliminate Conducive Conditions: Conducive conditions for mosquitoes include heavy foliage and standing water. Old pots, tarps, toys, tires, trash cans, and buckets are all different examples of common items that hold water and encourage mosquito reproduction. In addition to eliminating those items in your yard, you should only water your yard every 3 days or so. Mosquitoes need a tiny amount of water to reproduce and overwatering can leave enough water on the soil surface and inside plants to allow reproduction.
😒 Larval Control with Mosquito Dunks: We have found that mosquito dunks, the anti-larval insecticide you drop in standing water, don’t have that much effect on abundance. We used to do this in addition to spraying for adults and have since eliminated it since it does not add anything to the effectiveness of the adult targeted spray. I believe this is because there are hundreds of tiny breeding sites that are impossible to treat with mosquito dunks.
😊 Wear Repellent: Repellents containing DEET are usually the best repellents. Most alternatives to DEET do not last as long or provide as good of control as DEET. There is one exception: Picaridin is very effective ingredient used in several brands of repellents that has produced results on par with DEET.
😕 Long sleeves and pants and avoid outdoors: The experts says to do this, but let’s be honest- No one will do this during the summer in Texas! The same goes for avoiding outside at dawn and dusk. It’s a good idea, but also the best time to enjoy the outdoors!
😒 Mosquito Magnet, Bug Zapper, Citronella – Don’t waste your time or money on these. None of them are very effective. We get calls to do mosquito sprays all the time in yards where people have these and they failed to control the problem.
😐 Install a Misting System: Misting systems are very effective at eliminating mosquito problems. The downsides are the cost and the static coverage. Systems cost $1,200 to $2,500 or more to install. Maintenance will cost at least $200 or more per year. Static coverage means that they protect only the areas where they are installed and are difficult to move. The upside is that the system is automatic and it comes with a remote control for times when you think you need a little extra control. If you’re interested in one of these systems, let us know. We work with a reputable local installer that can get you a bid for installation and maintenance.
😊 Backyard Mosquito Spraying: This is also called a topical mosquito treatment. We introduced this method to the Brazos Valley way back in 2008. Over the years, we have refined the technique using a backpack mist blower and have noticed a number of competitors offering the service as well. We treat all the mosquito landing areas in your backyard once a month using a pyrethroid insecticide applied with a backpack mist blower. We usually see an 85-100% reduction in bites for 3 to 4 weeks. People and pets can enter the treated areas as soon as the spray is dry, so it’s not disruptive to your activities. This has been our fastest growing service ever since we introduced it.
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Professional Mosquito Control
If you are dealing with a mosquito infestation, Venus Pest Company can help. Founded by Aggie Entomologist Dr. Scott Lingren, we provide expert, eco-friendly Integrated Pest Management solutions in Bryan and College Station. To get started, fill out the contact form, call/text 979.774.0486 or email [email protected]. Don’t let nuisance pests take over your home!
