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4 Fascinating Facts About Mosquitoes

April 3, 2019

If you've ever so much as visited Houston in the summer, then you're familiar with the city's mosquito problem. Likely because of the high temperatures and humidity, Houston is one of the most mosquito-riddled cities in the country. But most people, in spite of being swarmed with these biting bugs on a regular basis, don't know that much about them.

The more you know, the better you'll be able to keep the mosquitoes away. Check out these four fascinating facts about mosquitoes.

1. Mosquitoes Come in 3,000 Species

If that number overwhelms you, here's the good news: only around 176 of those species live in the United States. Of those 176 species, only a number of them live in Texas. And of those species, only four are really common nuisances:

Yellow Fever Mosquito

Formally known as Aedes aegyptii, this mosquito spreads yellow fever, Zika, and dengue fever. They only needs a small amount of water to breed, such as that in an old car tire or flower vase.

Asian Tiger Mosquito

Formally known as Aedes albopictus, this mosquito is very tiny, active in the daytime, and bites cats and dogs along with humans. They can spread West Nile virus and heartworms.

Common Malaria Mosquito

Formally known as Anopheles quadrimaculatus, this mosquito is most active at dusk and just before dawn. They spread not only malaria, but also West Nile virus and heartworms. These mosquitos loves to breed in water in which leaves and other vegetative debris are floating.

Common House Mosquito

Formally known as Culex pipens, this mosquito is most active at night. They feed on sources of sugar, like those found in sitting garbage and rotten fruit. They are also known to bred in old tires and bird baths, and they spreads meningitis and encephalitis.

2. Mosquitoes Detect Humans Using Chemical Sensors

Have you ever wondered how mosquitoes find you to bite you? They largely rely on chemical sensors, which detect carbon dioxide, lactic acid, and certain components of sweat in the air from up to 100 feet away.

People who sweat less tend to experience fewer mosquito bites because they give off fewer of these chemicals. DEET, a common ingredient in mosquito repellents, works by confusing the bugs' chemical sensors.

3. Mosquitoes Go Through Four Life Stages

Like most insects, mosquitoes go through four life stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.

The adult mosquitoes are the ones you see buzzing around and biting you. Adult mosquitoes lay their eggs in clusters of 100 to 400 in water, according to Placer Mosquito and Vector Control District.

These eggs hatch into larvae, which come to the surface to breathe. They molt several times, eventually changing into a pupa. Over the course of several days, the pupa develops into an adult.

Although exact preferences vary somewhat by species, all mosquitoes require water to complete their life cycle. Therefore, keeping your land dry is the underlying key to mosquito control.

4. Mosquitoes Hibernate in the Winter

Have you ever wondered where all the mosquitoes go when temperatures drop? They don't migrate like birds. Rather, when temperatures fall below 50 degrees, the adults lay one more batch of eggs, according to Pest World. Those eggs remain in a state of hibernation until temperatures rise again, at which point they develop into larvae.

Since temperatures in Houston rarely fall below 50 degrees F, mosquitoes don't have a long hibernation period in this area — although you may see far fewer of them in the spring and fall when the temperature is below 80 degrees.

As interesting as they may be, mosquitoes are a real nuisance. If you have trouble with copious numbers of mosquitoes on your land, give us a call. Beyond eliminating standing water, the experts at Southwest Exterminating can recommend solutions to keep your yard skeeter-free.

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