With narrow, oval-shaped bodies and white stripes across their abdomens, mosquitoes may look harmless, but these pests are actually the most dangerous animals in the world. Which may leave you wondering what diseases do mosquitoes spread? And how do mosquitoes find you?
Here’s what Atlanta, GA, homeowners should know about identifying a mosquito problem on their property, why more mosquitoes carry more risk, what attracts mosquitoes, and the best way to control them on your property with pest control in Atlanta.
How To Identify A Mosquito Problem On Your Property
Since they hang around outside, it’s not always easy to tell when you’ve got a mosquito problem. Here are some crucial signs that point to a mosquito infestation around your yard:
- There’s a constant buzzing sound: Mosquitoes are a pest that creates a high-pitched buzzing sound when they fly. You may not always spot mosquitoes, but if you frequently hear a high-pitched buzzing sound outside, that could signal a mosquito problem.
- You’re constantly getting bug bites: Does it seem like you’re constantly riddled with bug bites every time you come inside? Are you itching and scratching at night, making it hard to sleep? If you’re spending time outside and constantly have itchy bites when you come inside, your property is likely infested with mosquitoes.
- You see them during daylight hours: Mosquitoes are often most active in the early morning and late evening hours. If you’re seeing a lot of mosquitoes in the middle of the day, there’s a good chance you’ve got a high mosquito population on your property.
Keep in mind that you may not always see mosquitoes, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have a mosquito problem or that there’s not a lot of mosquito activity near your home.
The More Mosquitoes, The More Risk For Dangerous Disease
The itchy, red bites they leave behind may be annoying, but there’s another reason you don’t want to deal with many mosquitoes – the increased risk for mosquito-borne diseases. Mosquitoes pick up diseases from other animals when they bite, and in turn, they can then transmit these illnesses to humans they bite us.
Some of the most common illnesses spread by mosquitoes include:
- Zika virus
- Chikungunya virus
- West Nile virus
- Yellow fever
- Dengue fever
- Malaria
It’s important to note that not every single mosquito is infected with a disease, and obtaining a bite doesn’t always mean you’ll get sick. However, the risk of a mosquito-borne illness is always there, and that risk only increases with large mosquito populations.
The symptoms of a mosquito-borne illness include:
- Fever
- Chills
- Muscle or joint pain
- Spreading rash
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Headache
If you begin experiencing the above symptoms after a bug bite, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Why Mosquitoes Are Attracted To Your Atlanta Property
What attracts mosquitoes? There are a few factors that can increase the risk of a mosquito problem around your yard and lure these insects in, such as:
- Standing water: Perhaps the biggest attraction for mosquitoes is standing water, which is what they use for breeding and laying their eggs. Standing water sources include birdbaths full of water, yard debris that can hold water, and decorative ponds.
- Flowering plants: Besides blood, mosquitoes also feed on pollen and nectar. For this reason, bright flowering plants can be another attraction to mosquitoes. Planting mosquito repellants alongside these flowers, like citronella, lavender, catnip grass, or marigolds, may help.
- Shady areas: Mosquitoes aren’t great fliers, and they like having shady areas where they can rest from Atlanta’s scorching heat. Mosquitoes love tall grasses and weeds, so maintaining your lawn can prevent you from providing them with more hiding spots.
By staying mindful of your surroundings, you can reduce the factors that attract mosquitoes in Atlanta.
The Best Way To Control Mosquito Populations On Your Property
When it comes to how to keep mosquitoes out of your yard, the best way to control mosquito populations is by working with the professionals at Tuxedo Mosquito Control. Serving Atlanta and the surrounding areas for more than two decades, we’ve got the experience and the effective treatments to drastically reduce mosquito activity in your Atlanta yard.
If you are seeing signs of mosquitoes – such as constant buzzing, too many bug bites, or just a lot of mosquito activity during the day – it may be time to call in the pros. Contact us today at Tuxedo Mosquito Control to learn more about how our residential mosquito control program works or to request an estimate of our services.
What Tuxedo Mosquito Customers Are Saying
I would highly recommend Tuxedo Mosquito. Very professional organization. Installation was quick and service has been great. My wife, who seems to be a "mosquito magnet" spent the entire summer in our backyard without getting bit. Money well spent
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