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There are two words that often come to mind when we think about mosquitoes, disease and discomfort. While the likelihood of contracting a serious disease from any single bite is minimal, the discomfort is inevitable. Secondary infections at the bite site, however, are common due to the natural response of scratching the itch. It seems the logical thing to do then, is not to be bitten. This is easier said than done, as mosquitoes are virtually everywhere in Central Virginia, so avoiding them all together is unlikely.

There are more than 150 species of mosquitoes in the United States alone. The three genera most commonly encountered in Central Virginia are the Aedes, Anopheles and Culex. In each case, two things are needed for propagation, warm blood and water. The female mosquito is the one that bites, as she needs the blood meal to produce her eggs. Once these eggs are laid, they usually hatch in just a few days. They emerge from their eggs as mosquito larvae, also known as wigglers. All of the larvae will mature in water, molting four times on their way to the pupal stage. These pupae are also known as tumblers because of their tumbling motion in the water. The pupal stage also takes just a few days to complete. When the pupa is ready to emerge as an adult mosquito, the pupal skin will open up and allow the new adult to exit. The new adults will rest on top of the water for a short period of time, then fly away. The complete metamorphosis of life, from egg to adult, takes approximately 10 to 14 days. The male mosquito only lives about a week, while the female can live up to two months.

It is a common misconception that the female mosquito flies from her water source and immediately flies away to find her blood feeding. In actuality, she flies to staging or resting points and waits . . . and waits . . . and waits. She does not fly around seeking her victim, she waits until it comes to her. Once she senses the vibrations of a warm-blooded creature, she begins to orient on their CO2 plume and heat signature. After determining it to be a viable source of blood, she then flies to and feeds upon the source animal. The engorged female then flies back to a resting site, allows the blood to be processed and then will deposit her eggs to start the cycle all over again.

As most of us know, ANY standing water should be eliminated or changed once a week for bird baths, etc. Some conditions that should be corrected in order to reduce the attractiveness of your home for breeding or staging include gutters should be clean and free flowing, leaf accumulation should be removed from under decks, shrubs and around the home and the lawn should be cut regularly.

As stated earlier, the female is the only one that feeds on blood, so she is the one we are most concerned with. The mosquitoes we have here in Central Virginia have a general flight range of .5 to 5 miles, so we all live within an infested location. However, the mosquitoes that have the greatest effect on us, are the ones in our immediate proximity. (Remember, the female will fly to a location and wait!) This is where we can help. We understand the sites and locations she would most prefer to stage, so we can treat them. With a preventive barrier in place on your property, the female just can't survive long enough while staged to bite. Thus removing the most imminent mosquito threat to you, the ones on your property! After our treatment, approximately 85% of the mosquitoes that would affect you and yours are eliminated. In addition to the preventive barrier we put in place, we can also incorporate the use of a larvicide when needed.

As with most pests, greatest control is obtained when a holistic approach is taken. If a customer follows our guidelines and we do our job properly, you will be able to use and enjoy the outdoors around your home. We believe our treatment program is a much better option than staying indoors or coating yourself and your children with a repellant type chemical.

Please contact us if you have any questions or to schedule an estimate.

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Serving Central Virginia