Mosquito Life Cycle
There are over 3,000 species of mosquitoes worldwide, with 150 known to
exist in North America. In their immature stages, the mosquitoes require
water to survive. Ideal breeding areas for mosquitoes include old tires,
clogged rain gutters, bird baths, wading pools and stagnant water.
Mosquitoes go through 4 stages in
their life cycle: egg, larva, pupa and adult. The eggs are laid in or near
water and hatch into larvae within a few days. The larvae feed on
microscopic plant life, molt several times as they grow and become pupae
that turn into adult mosquitoes. The entire process can take place in as
little as seven days in mid-summer.
The life span of adult mosquitoes
varies from two weeks to several months, and depending on the species, will
feed in the early morning, early evening or even during daytime hours.
Mosquitoes require a blood meal to develop fertile eggs. Males, because
they do not lay eggs, do not bite. Throughout a season, females can lay
several batches of eggs, requiring a blood meal for each batch. Each batch
can contain as many as 200 eggs. Other than for reproduction, mosquitoes
normally feed on nectar from plants or flowers.
Mosquito-borne Diseases
Mosquitoes cause more human suffering than any other organism with over
one million people dying from mosquito-borne diseases every year. Mosquito
vectored diseases include malaria, yellow fever, dengue, filariasus, and
encephalitis to humans and animals. Yellow fever, dengue and malaria were
once prevalent in the United States, but now are rare. More recently, West
Nile Virus was the cause of 7 deaths among 62 infections in New York City in
1999. In 2000, many birds have tested positive for the virus throughout the
Northeast indicating the disease overwintered and spread geographically. It
appears West Nile Virus will remain a threat to the United States in the
future.
Ways to reduce mosquito annoyance
- Stay indoors at dawn, dusk and in the early evening if possible.
- Mosquitoes use the CO2 we exhale as a primary cue to our locations.
Unfortunately, holding your breath is not a good long term solution to
mosquito annoyance.
- Mosquitoes are also attracted to dark colors because they capture
heat. Light colors refract heat and are generally less attractive.
- Wear long sleeved shirts and pants when you are outdoors.
- Apply insect repellant sparingly to exposed skin. Products containing
20-30% DEET are known to be most effective against mosquitoes. Follow
manufacturer's directions carefully. Do not apply to children under 3
years of age and do not apply to the hands and face of children.
Products containing Permethrin are for clothing only.
- Keep weeds cut back and mow the lawn regularly to reduce mosquito
friendly habitats. Adult mosquitoes prefer to rest on weeds and other
vegetation.
- Avoid use of insect electrocuters (bug zappers), as they have been
shown to be ineffective in reducing outdoor mosquito populations. They
kill few mosquitoes and harm beneficial insect populations.
- Citronella oil is the active ingredient in many of the candles,
torches or burning coils that claim to repel mosquitoes. These products
are useful outdoors only under windless conditions allowing the odor to
remain in the immediate vicinity.
Ways to eliminate mosquito breeding sites
Since mosquitoes breed in standing water, we must do our
best to eliminate those sites. Even a small bucket that has stagnant water
in it for seven days can become home to up to 1,000 mosquitoes.
- Dispose of tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots or similar water
holding containers that have accumulated on your property.
- Keep rain gutters unclogged and flat roofs dry.
- Eliminate water collecting in pool or boat covers.
- Drill holes in the bottom of recycling containers left outdoors to
prevent them from collecting rainwater.
- Turn over plastic wading pools and wheelbarrows when not in use.
- Do not allow water to stagnate in birdbaths.
- Drain and fill stagnant pools, puddles, ditches, or swampy places
around the home and property.
- Remove all tree stumps that may
hold water.
-
Use landscaping to eliminate standing water that collects on your
property.
