The July heat and humidity make many of us want to kick back and take it easy. But it seems like right when we do, mosquitoes swarm in to feast on us. When they get into your house, that's the last straw. The Baldwyn pest control specialists at McCary Pest Control know that mosquitoes can be quite a nuisance this time of year, and it’s best not to let a nuisance become an infestation.
Can Mosquitoes Infest My House Or Apartment?
Mosquitoes love heat, but they don’t just infest hot areas in summer. True, the heat brings them out, but they can also find a comfortable spot to lay their eggs in an air-conditioned apartment or home. This can make generations after generations of them, and you might not know eggs are hatching and growing into adults until a week or two later. Mosquito prevention should be proactive and focused on prevention, and the best way to prevent them from creating a breeding ground in your home is to know how they do it.
How Do Apartments Get Infested With Mosquitoes?
A mosquito infestation can start simply with one or two female mosquitoes laying eggs in the house. Females lay between 100 to 200 eggs at a time. Mosquitoes in house environments will not have many natural predators, so a lot of the offspring can mature through the larval and pupal stages to become new adults. To lay eggs, mosquitoes look for:
- Standing water
- Moist soil
- Blood to nourish the eggs
- Near the base or in the leaves of plants
The early stages of mosquito life are semi-aquatic. The larvae develop over a week in water, feeding on microorganisms. Larvae are difficult to detect, so the best chance is to clear up, drain, or treat any water. Don’t forget to look in your plants, too.
What Is Attracting Mosquitoes To My House?
Female mosquitoes are the only ones that drink blood; males solely seek out nectar. Unfortunately, it’s also the females that lay the eggs. Some things that attract female mosquitoes into the house are:
- Body heat
- Perspiration and human scent
- Carbon dioxide
- Stagnant air
Mosquitoes can see heat, and they use this ability to find us. They can also sense aromas in the air. But the main thing that attracts mosquitoes is the release of carbon dioxide. At McCary Pest Control, we can use this information to formulate a mosquito prevention plan.
How Can I Keep Mosquitoes Out Of My House?
Knowing what mosquitoes look for is the first part of the battle. To stop giving off invitations to these insects, use the following steps to prevent them:
- Seal off the house with screens.
- Go inside after exercising and shower.
- Wear lighter clothing to absorb less heat.
- Drink fewer carbonated drinks like beer and soda water.
- Keep the air moving with strong fans.
- Have plants that keep mosquitoes away like geraniums, marigolds, lavender, and basil.
- Make sure water isn’t left sitting out.
- Treat drains with non-toxic repellent for hard-to-get-to standing water.
- Keep mosquitoes out of yard areas by removing standing water.
- Keep mosquitoes away from pool areas with chlorine and freshwater filters.
When we exert ourselves, we breathe more heavily and give off more carbon dioxide. Make sure mosquitoes aren’t taking advantage. We aren’t the only ones giving off carbon dioxide, so you might have to avoid carbonated drinks as well. To cover our human scent, we can use multiple aromas. Lavender, citronella, Greek catmint, thyme, lemon eucalyptus, and tea tree are fragrant ways to repel mosquitoes.
Circulating the air works on a couple of levels. Firstly, it ventilates the scent of perspiration and body heat. But more importantly, mosquitoes can’t fly in strong wind. A heavy fan will prevent them from getting to certain areas, including yourself.
Sometimes it can be too difficult to get rid of mosquitoes in house or apartment environments. At McCary Pest Control, we have been providing environmentally-friendly pest control services to Baldwyn for 50 years and counting. Don’t wait to call us if you need help with any pest problems.