When the temperatures start to rise in spring, it’s tempting to spend more time outdoors in your yard. Your outdoor fun can quickly be ruined if you end up with a mosquito problem. Springtime is normally when these pests come out of hibernation and get to work laying eggs and feeding. Learn more about the life cycle of these bugs, so you can keep an eye out for them and get Hilton Head mosquito services if needed.
Egg Stage
The first stage of a mosquito’s life is the egg stage. Mosquitoes start out inside eggs that are laid in water. Exposure to water makes it possible for these eggs to hatch, allowing mosquito larva to emerge. You might see these eggs in bird baths, tires lying around your yard and in any other source of standing water that you have. Keep in mind that it can take a few months for these eggs to hatch. The exact amount of time they need varies by mosquito species and other factors, such as how warm or cold the water is.
Larva Stage
After hatching from eggs, mosquito larvae spend their time in water. They go through a number of molts during this stage and swim up to the water’s surface in order to breathe. Larvae continue to wriggle around in water and occasionally feed before entering the next mosquito life cycle stage.
Pupa Stage
During the pupa stage, these bugs still stay in the water. However, they don’t spend any time feeding. Instead, they stay inside a pupal case for up to one week before emerging as adult mosquitoes. The entire process from hatching to leaving the water as an adult can take a couple of weeks to occur on average. However, water temperature and other conditions can make this process go more quickly or take up to one month to occur.
Adult Stage
Adult mosquitoes don’t live in the water as the earlier stages do. When they’re ready to leave the water, which is typically once their body is hard enough, they take to the air. Female mosquitoes search for sources of blood to feed on, which they need in order to reproduce. Male mosquitoes fly around, but they don’t feed on blood.
Mosquito Problems
Mosquitoes can be much more than a backyard nuisance in warm weather, which is why Hilton Head mosquito services are so important. When they bite you, they can end up putting you at risk of getting ill from West Nile virus or other diseases. Even if you don’t get sick, you’ll still be dealing with itchy mosquito bites. Scratching these bites can lead to skin infections that require antibiotics for treatment.
What to Do About Mosquitoes
How can you keep mosquitoes at bay this spring? One of the most effective ways to stop them from taking over your yard is by making sure you’re not giving them any water sources for their eggs. Dump out pet water bowls, bird baths and anything else that collects or hold water. This makes it much more difficult for mosquitoes to find a suitable place to lay their eggs. You can also wear mosquito spray and put long sleeves and pants on when you’re outside in order to avoid being bitten.
Having your yard sprayed on a regular basis with Hilton Head mosquito services can also prevent you from having a mosquito infestation. These services treat your yard for mosquitoes to stop these pests from being able to thrive. When you have this done, you’re getting ahead of these pests before they can start increasing their population.
Don’t let a mosquito problem ruin your spring and summer. Contact Island Pest Control for information on our Hilton Head mosquito services, which include seasonal monthly mosquito spray, one time event mosquito treatment, mosquito misting systems and a mosquito system take over.
