Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes are a family of small, midge-like flies. 

Like all flies, mosquitoes go through four stages in their lifecycles: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. In most species, adult females lay their eggs in stagnant water; some lay eggs near the water's edge; others attach their eggs to aquatic plants. 

Some species of mosquitoes can develop from egg to adult in as few as five days, but a more typical period of development in SE Queensland climatic conditions would be some 40 days or more for most species. 

Mosquito Description

• Mosquitoes are small fragile insects which belong to the fly family
• They have 6 legs and 2 wings
• Adult female mosquitoes live for about 2-3 weeks, males about 5-7 days
• Only the female mosquitoes bite needing blood to develop their eggs
• Females lay their eggs in water

Problems

Female mosquitoes have tube-like mouths that pierce human skin to suck blood for nutrients needed to develop eggs. During the biting process, the saliva of the mosquito can often cause an irritating rash, redness and swelling due to an immune response. In some cases these bite marks may last for several days. 

A more significant problem is that some mosquito bites can transmit extremely harmful infections such as malaria, Ross River fever, and Dengue.

Management

Prevention is the best option for controlling mosquitoes.

• Reduce standing water to eliminate mosquito breeding areas. Empty out anything that holds water.
• Clean all gutters. Clogged gutters that don’t drain properly are common breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
• Trim back vegetation. Mosquitoes feast on plant nectar when they’re not on the hunt for blood, so they spend a lot of time in tall grasses or around shrubs and bushes.
• Remove yard debris. Leaves and grass clippings that have piled up in the yard become a key source for mosquito breeding.

Envirosafe Treatment