The weather has an effect on almost every pest population, and when it comes to mosquito activity, the weather plays a huge role in their behavior. Did you know that Accu Weather even has a mosquito activity report that tells you how active mosquitoes are for the upcoming day? So just how much can temperature, humidity, and rainfall can impact these insects? And what do you need to know in order to help prevent an influx of these pests around your home?
Rain and Mosquito Activity
When there is rain, a large amount or small amount, there will be an increased rate of breeding. Mosquitoes require stagnant water to lay their eggs in, so the more puddles on the ground the better the environment for these eggs to move through each stage of their life cycle.
Many people don’t realize how little water mosquitoes need. It only takes about a bottle cap of water for a female mosquito to lay eggs and each time she deposits her eggs she drops around 300. Because of this puddles and birdbaths aren’t the only areas to worry about. You should also be aware of smaller spaces like overturned toys or trash cans for these insects to lay their eggs. During the mosquito life cycle, mosquitoes can take as little as four days to go from egg, larva, pupa, and then to adult but typically take on average a week and a half to reach adulthood.
It is important to know that there is a delicate balance when it comes to rainfall and mosquito activity. If there is too much rain or water, the mosquito eggs can drown or wash away. On the opposite side of that if there is not sufficient levels of moisture eggs and mosquito larvae will begin to dehydrate very quickly.
It is important to know that there is a delicate balance when it comes to rainfall and mosquito activity. If there is too much rain or water, the mosquito eggs can drown or wash away. On the opposite side of that if there is not sufficient levels of moisture eggs and mosquito larvae will begin to dehydrate very quickly.
Heat and Mosquito Activity
Mosquitoes are cold-blooded insects and they do not have the ability to control their internal body temperature. Because of that when it is cold there is less mosquito activity, and when it is hot there is much more mosquito activity.
The sun’s heat actually works against mosquitoes however because it quickly dehydrates them. That is why mosquitoes typically come out in the summer when the evenings stay warm but not too hot. By the time summer is in full swing, a mosquito infestation is difficult to control. Making sure to treat for mosquitoes in the spring and early summer is key to preventing increased mosquito activity around your home.
It is very important to know that hotter weather also makes mosquitoes more dangerous to your health. These carrier insects carry diseases such as West Nile virus and the zika virus incubate much faster in hotter temperatures giving mosquitoes a bigger opportunity to spread these diseases.
Humidity and Mosquito Activity
Depending on whether or not temperatures stay high throughout the evening, mosquitoes can remain active late into the night which is why you may wake up with red itchy bites in the morning. As soon as the temperature and humidity levels are within the proper range the mosquito’s hunger will take over making them bite and feed extremely frequently. If mosquitoes are in an area that is sheltered from the wind and relatively cloudy the can continue to feed throughout the day too if the temperature and humidity levels are within the prime range.
Where do Mosqutioes Hide?
If you are in an area where it is warm and rainy then it is pretty common for your mosquito activity to increase after a storm. Because of this it is very important to remove any and all areas of stagnant water. In order to prevent an infestation outside your home there are few things that you can do as a homeowner. Some of these things include:
- Use landscaping to eliminate any standing water that may collect on your property
- Do not let water be still and stagnant in your bird baths and other water features
- Turn over plastic wading pools and wheelbarrows when they are not in use
- Aerate any decorative pools or stock them with fish to keep the water in motion
- Clean and chlorinate your swimming pool and be sure to remove standing water from your pool covers
- Clean chlorinate your swimming pool and be sure to remove standing water from your pool covers
- Drill holes into the lids of your recycling and trash bins that you leave outside
- Treat any standing water that absolutely can not be eliminated with a natural bacterium that works to kill mosquito larvae and is safe for people, pets, plants, and aquatic life
When Mosquito Activity Causes Problems
We’ve mentioned some of the diseases that mosquitos can cause but it is important to know a bit more about them. Diseases such as Eastern Equine Encephalitis, Canine Heartworm, and Chikungunya are diseases that mosquitoes carrier, but they aren’t as common.
The most common disease that mosquitoes carry is the West Nile virus. Taking the time to treat your home and the areas around it to prevent increased mosquito activity will help keep you and your family safe (and honestly, less annoyed overall too,).
Controlling Mosquito Activity With Sigma Pest
Right now is the perfect time to treat your home for mosquitoes! Prevent the annoying blood sucking insects that ruin your summer evenings and give us a call today for more information about our mosquito control packages.