Category Archives: Mosquito Control

One of the best ways to effectively deal with pests is to learn more about them. In the case of mosquitoes, learning how fast a mosquito can fly, how fast mosquitoes multiply, and what mosquito larvae look like can help you figure out ways to effectively keep these buzzing, blood-sucking pests from ruining your outdoor fun.

How Fast Can a Mosquito Fly?

Mosquitoes sometimes seem impossible to swat. They tend to be there one moment and gone the next. So how fast are mosquitoes? You may be surprised to learn that mosquitoes aren’t super speedy insects. They fly at about 1.5 miles per hour. They’re slower than other flying insects like flies and bees. Unfortunately, they’re still fast enough to make swatting at them an exercise in frustration.

How Fast Do Mosquitoes’ Wings Flap?

Though you might not appreciate it while swatting and slapping at mosquitoes, their wings are pretty amazing. Mosquitoes can flap their wings up to 800 times per second. So, if they flap their wings so rapidly, why aren’t they faster?

A lot of that lightning-speed flapping is not for propulsion but for communication. A study conducted by Johns Hopkins University found that when male mosquitoes fly, they emit a low-frequency sound; when female mosquitoes fly, they create a high-frequency noise. This is how they find each other via their antennae, which pick up the sound vibrations. The communication eventually leads to a lot of mosquito eggs. The question of how fast mosquito wings flap is related to how they communicate and breed—it’s all connected.

Related Topic: The Life Cycle of a Mosquito

Mosquito Larvae: How Fast Do Mosquitoes Multiply?

To get rid of mosquitoes, you need to understand their life cycle. How fast do mosquitoes multiply? The answer is: It varies.

Here’s the mosquito life cycle, from eggs to mosquito larvae to adult mosquitoes:

1. Eggs. Female mosquitoes lay hundreds of eggs every few days throughout their adult life. They lay the eggs on or near water. Water is required for the eggs to hatch. Mosquito eggs can lie unhatched through dry or cold periods and hatch when the conditions are right. If there’s enough water and it’s warm enough, mosquito eggs hatch in about 48 hours.
2. Mosquito larvae. At this stage, the mosquito larvae swim around, eating, growing, and molting. Mosquito larvae in water are often called “wigglers” or “rollers” because of the way they move.
3. Pupae. After molting four times, mosquito larvae become pupae. They’re hard to kill at this stage since they don’t eat and tend to hide when the water is disturbed. This stage lasts for about four days but can vary depending on the temperature of the water.
4. Adult. After the pupal stage, the mosquito has grown and developed into an adult mosquito. It rises to the water’s surface and, when ready, flies off to start the cycle again.

What Does Mosquito Larvae Look Like?

Being able to identify mosquito larvae can help in your efforts to control mosquitoes in your yard. So, what do mosquito larvae look like? They look like tiny, ¼-inch, hairy worms squiggling in the water they hatched in. They’ll often be near the surface of the water and will dive down deeper if the water is disturbed.

This is one of the easiest stages of mosquito development to control. If you eliminate the water they need to survive; you’ll stop the life cycle before the mosquitoes can grow to adulthood.

How to Kill Mosquito Larvae

If you’re wondering how to kill mosquito larvae, there are several things to try, including:

• Eliminating or emptying areas where water can collect. This includes pet bowls, bird baths, children’s toys, watering cans, and swimming pools.
• Cleaning your gutters. Clogged gutters allow water to collect. Since they’re rarely disturbed, it’s an ideal mosquito breeding ground.
• Pruning or cutting down overgrown plants. The shady, moist environment created by overgrown plants can create hatching spots for mosquito eggs.
• Using mosquito dunks in ponds or other vessels. These contain Bt, which kills the mosquito larvae after they eat it.

For a solution that will protect every area of your yard, consider Mosquito Joe’s mosquito-repelling barrier sprays, where our certified technicians will work to eliminate mosquitoes at every stage of their life cycle.

Got Mosquitoes? Get Help

Understanding the mosquito and its life cycle can help you battle this pest effectively, which will allow you to enjoy the outdoors more often during warmer weather. However, keeping up the fight can sometimes be an overwhelming task, especially if you have a large area to cover with a lot of plants and shrubs. If you need expert help to take back your outdoor fun, contact your local Mosquito Joe. We can help you win the battle with perimeter pests control, gnat control, and natural barrier treatments that can help keep pests away for up to 30 days. Call (855) 275-2563 or request a quote online today.

Nothing ruins a fun backyard get-together quicker than mosquitoes. They are annoying and can also transmit diseases that are harmful to both humans and pets. One-way homeowners can combat this outdoor onslaught is to install Mosquito repellant coils. These coils are some of the most common products homeowners buy to deter mosquitoes. These coils, which smolder and emit smoke repel mosquitoes from the area, have a few drawbacks you should consider.

Do Mosquito Coils Work?

Mosquito coils are flattened coils that contain ingredients that repel mosquitos and components that bind it all together and help it burn at a slow, steady rate. Most mosquito coils are pyrethrin-based, though others contain citronella oil or a blend of repellent ingredients.

The coils work like incense. You either hang the coil or attach it to a stake in a secure location, then light the end. The coil burns slowly, from the outer edge to the center, emitting smoke that will either confuse or eliminate mosquitoes, depending on the type of coil used.

But do mosquito coils work? The smoke emitted from the coils can be effective, but very limited. The coils only cover a small area, and if it’s breezy, the smoke will drift away, leaving you unprotected.

Related Topic: Mosquito Vision: Can Mosquitoes See?

Are Mosquito Coils Harmful to Health?

While the components of mosquito coils are all-natural, it’s still valid to wonder about the overall safety of using them. There have been a few studies that have focused on the mosquito coil’s harmful effects.

Here are some of the top mosquito coil safety concerns for humans and pets:

• One study published in Environmental Health Perspectives indicated that some of the most popular brands of mosquito coils give off smoke that contains known or possible carcinogens, including formaldehyde.
• The same study notes that the fine and ultra-fine particulate matter in the smoke can irritate the eyes, nose, and lungs.
• Mosquito coils can also be a fire hazard. Almost every year there are news stories about fires resulting from unattended mosquito coils or coils that have been knocked onto flammable items. If you have kids and pets, you know how easily things can get bumped into and knocked over.

While mosquito coils can be effective for repelling mosquitoes, other options are just as, if not more, effective. Covering as much exposed skin as possible, planting naturally mosquito-repellent plants, such as citronella and lemongrass, and using protective items like screen tents can help.

Your local Mosquito Joe offers natural barrier sprays that are the easiest solution to your mosquito problem. They help keep mosquitoes away for up to 30 days, giving you peace of mind and more time to enjoy the outdoors.

Mosquito Solutions for Your Yard

Enjoying some backyard time while keeping your family and pets itch-free and safe from mosquitoes is possible. Your local Mosquito Joe is ready to help with both traditional treatments and natural barrier treatments that can help make the outdoors fun again! To get started, call us at 1-855-274-2563 or request a quote online today.

Have you wondered about mosquito vision? Maybe yes, maybe no, but you’ve undoubtedly experienced first-hand that these pesky insects manage to bite at all times of the day.

Perhaps you’ve even heard some of the latest research that indicates mosquitoes are attracted to the color red. Before you throw out all of the red clothing you own, let’s dig a little deeper to uncover the facts behind mosquito eyesight. The truth is that mosquitoes use their sight but also olfactory senses (sense of smell) and thermal cues to find prey for their blood meals.

Read on to see if there’s any good strategy for avoiding their bite!

First, How Do Mosquitoes See?

The human eye has one large lens. Mosquito eyes have hundreds of small lenses called ommatidia. These enable the mosquito to see in several directions at one time and to detect movement.

Mosquitoes see in black and white and perceive outlines and shapes rather than crisp, clear details like humans. When they’re on the hunt, mosquitoes use their two compound eyes but also their thermal detectors (located in their mouths) to seek out the prey and move in for the bite.

When the mosquito flies within 15 to 50 feet of you—day or night—you’re on their radar, giving them the option of moving in for a meal. Of course, only female mosquitoes feed on blood, so absolutely no worries if you’re dealing with a male mosquito (not that you are likely to know either way).

How Many Eyes Does a Mosquito Have?

A mosquito has two compound eyes—one on each side of its head. Although there are only two eyes on each mosquito, their vision plays a major role in prey detection.

Can Mosquitoes See in the Dark?

Yes, mosquitoes can see you in the dark. They have excellent night vision and can detect objects at low light far better than humans can.

How Mosquitoes See Humans

Mosquitoes use multiple senses to “see” humans, including their sense of smell, vision, heat detection, and, yes, if you’ve been wondering, even carbon dioxide detection. The first thing that typically attracts a mosquito aside from them seeing you is an exhalation of carbon dioxide. Mosquitoes have sensors to detect CO2. Then, they use their other senses to zero in on the prey.

New research indicates mosquitoes are especially attracted to the color red, including the reddish aspects of all skin types. Human skin—regardless of the pigmentation—gives off a long-wavelength signal in the red-orange range. So, when exploring the great outdoors, it’s a good idea to cover as much of your skin as possible.

When Is the Best Time to Be Outside to Avoid Mosquitoes?

When it comes to the best time to be outside to avoid mosquitoes, it’s really a toss-up. With over 176 species of mosquitoes, some are active during the day, while most are active at dusk, dawn, or nighttime. In other words, there’s no great time to avoid mosquitoes.

If you’re outside, you can almost guarantee some mosquito may be seeking you out. However, the majority of mosquitoes venture out at night to avoid the sunlight that can dehydrate them or even kill them. The daytime poses less of a mosquito threat to you and your family members, but it’s still common to get a bite during daytime hours.

Related Topic: How Many Times Can a Mosquito Bite You?

Mosquito Eyes Freaking You Out? Give Us a Call

If you’re hoping to find a better way to escape mosquito vision to spare you and your family from itchy bites, there is a way. Turn to the reliable team at your local Mosquito Joe for mosquito control for your property, including natural barrier treatments. Give us a call at 1-855-275-2563 or request an estimate online today.

These Are the Best Places Without Mosquitoes

Your next vacation is a time to escape from work, relax with family or friends, and recharge. If you arrive at your destination ready for a fun, relaxing time, it can be quite discouraging to be greeted by a barrage of mosquitoes instead. So, while you’re planning your trip, do a little more research about possible destinations and the insects that inhabit the area to help you avoid a buggy situation.

Certain insects may not only reduce the quality of your vacation, but they could also transmit diseases. Mosquitoes are frequently the culprit in such vacation-ruining disasters, so planning a trip that they’ll be less likely to interrupt seems like the way to go, literally. But it seems nearly impossible to find a place where there are no mosquitoes. The good news is that there are locations around the world where the presence of mosquitoes is minimal.

To help you plan a trip that mosquitoes won’t ruin, we’ll explore various regions and countries known for having fewer mosquitoes, enabling you to enjoy your downtime without spraying, swatting, etching, and scratching. We’ll dive deeper into places in the United States like West Virginia, Arizona, New Mexico, Alaska, Wyoming, and more. Across the sea, we’ll take a look at locations such as Greenland, Antarctica, and French Polynesia to avoid these pesky insects.

Mosquitoes are widespread and found in various habitats worldwide. So, if you’re looking for a vacation spot where there are no mosquitoes, your options are limited. And there aren’t fewer mosquitoes near the ocean, so your beach vacations remain vulnerable to mosquito bites. Unfortunately, most places do have at least some mosquitoes. There are, however, some states and countries where their population is reduced.

States with the Least Mosquitoes

In North America, the state with the least number of mosquitoes is West Virginia, though you will still encounter quite a few in the more densely wooded areas. Even though it’s the state with the least number of mosquitoes, it still has a lot.

To find a spot where there are no mosquitoes, you need to search away from water, including lakes, ponds, and even the ocean. Mosquitoes love standing water; it’s where they lay their eggs. And they don’t need much. In fact, they can be found in areas with even just a few ounces of water.

So, it makes sense that there would be fewer mosquitoes in drier climates. You might consider, for instance, Arizona or New Mexico in May or June, during the driest time of the year. However, once the monsoon rains hit, mosquitoes abound.

States with cooler temperatures are also great places to visit, as mosquitoes aren’t as active in colder climates. Alaska, Vermont, and Wyoming see less mosquito activity than other states because of their cooler weather. But don’t get too excited. Mosquitoes aren’t nonexistent in these locations (especially around lakes and rivers), but there are fewer of them. So, if you’re planning a trip to any of these states, fall or early winter is a great time to avoid those pesky biters.

Which Country Has No Mosquitoes?

Unless you’re planning on traveling to Antarctica or Iceland, you’ll likely encounter mosquitoes, especially during the summer months. Places with colder climates, such as Greenland or the Faroe Islands, are likely to see fewer mosquitoes, though they can still be found.

Antarctica lacks mosquitoes as well as other insects due to its harsh climate. Even the water is too cold for mosquitoes there. They prefer a warm, arid climate so they can survive and even thrive.

While Iceland has some seasonal temperatures and greenery that can sustain some insect species, mosquitoes aren’t one of them. During other times of the year, Iceland’s climate can be similar to Antarctica.

When it comes to determining whether your vacation spot will have lots of bugs, consider two things: temperature and humidity. The “swampier” (or more humid) the climate, the more likely you’ll encounter a lot of insects and mosquitoes.

Learn more about How Mosquitoes and Ticks Spread Disease.

Hot Places Without Mosquitoes

While Antarctica offers a mosquito-free experience, it’s not a popular vacation destination for a reason: it’s too cold and harsh. If you’re looking to relax in a considerably warmer climate and you’re up for a little adventure, visit the tiny island of Montserrat in the Caribbean British West Indies. It’s one of few very hot spots in the world that allows you to essentially live a mosquito-free life. Scientists aren’t exactly sure why this location doesn’t have mosquitoes, as it has all their usual requirements: tropical temperatures, humidity, and plenty of water. The constant volcanic activity that the island is known for may be a significant factor (maybe the mosquitoes know something we don’t).

The islands of French Polynesia also have fewer mosquitoes than most islands with a similar climate. Tahiti is one of these islands, and it’s a beautiful place to vacation, with breathtaking views and a tropical vibe that will quickly mellow you out. It’s known for its picturesque beaches and lavish resorts. French Polynesian vacation spots attract thousands of tourists every year, but thankfully, not as many mosquitoes.

A Mosquito-Free Life Is Rare, But You Can Get Close!

While it’s challenging to find places where there are no mosquitoes, you can significantly reduce your exposure to them by carefully selecting your destination and taking preventative measures. When outdoors, use mosquito repellent, wear protective clothing that includes long-sleeve shirts and pants, and stay indoors during peak mosquito activity (dawn and dusk). Taking these preventative steps can help reduce your chances of being bitten by a mosquito.

Unfortunately, wherever you go, those annoying pests will be faithfully waiting for you when you finally return home—because they never take a vacation.
To stop an infestation in your backyard before it begins, contact your local experts at Mosquito Joe®. We can make your yard more enjoyable all year by providing mosquito control and controllingtheir habitat. Request a free quote or call us to get started.

FAQs About Mosquitoes

Are there mosquitoes at the beach?

Yes! The beach can have standing puddles of water that make it the perfect habitat for mosquitoes. Mosquitoes breed in standing water, and when the humidity in the air is high, it creates the perfect atmosphere for them to thrive.

Are there fewer mosquitoes near the ocean?

Many people believe there are fewer mosquitoes near the ocean due to the movement of the waves and the cool breezes by the beach, but that simply isn’t true. The ocean can leave puddles of water behind that make the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes to thrive.

Many of us, at one time or another, have attended an event or outdoor activity and arrived home to discover we have multiple mosquito bites to show for our outdoor fun. However, what we don’t know is, was our itchy affliction caused by one, or multiple mosquitoes? Can one mosquito bite multiple times or is there no limit to the number of times one mosquito can bite?

To answer these pressing questions, we must take a closer look at who is doing the biting and why.

A Blood Thirsty Princess

When it comes to mosquitoes, it’s the female of the species that inflicts the most damage on us humans. In fact, a female mosquito can keep biting you and feeding on your blood until she is full. A blood-thirsty female can bite an unsuspecting victim up to five or six times a day.

Here’s the math: Common types of female mosquitoes weigh about 2 milligrams and can drink three times their weight in blood. In a single feeding session, they drain .001 to .01 mL of blood, which weighs 1 to 10 milligrams. So, an individual mosquito could bite up to five times before she’s full.

This calculation assumes that nobody interrupted (i.e., swatted) the mosquito while she is doing her thing. And in case you didn’t know: The males don’t bite or feed on blood.

Do Mosquitoes Die After They Bite You?

No. They don’t die from biting, no matter how much they bite. In fact, they thrive. To successfully reproduce, a female mosquito needs protein, amino acids, and other nourishment from blood. So she has blood meals throughout her entire adult life: four to eight weeks. She produces eggs throughout that time, whenever she has sufficient nourishment.

Besides humans, female mosquitoes feed on the blood of songbirds, waterfowl, amphibians, snakes, other reptiles, and mammals such as raccoons, squirrels, rabbits, horses, and cattle. However, many types of mosquitoes do seem to prefer feeding on humans. That’s likely because we’re easier to find, as we exhale a lot of CO2 and produce other distinct odors that these highly sensitive insects can detect.

Related Topic: What Do Male Mosquitoes Eat?

How Many Mosquito Bites Is Dangerous?

Yes, mosquito bites are annoying, itchy, and uncomfortable, but excluding cases of mosquito-borne illness and/or severe allergies, it’s unlikely that multiple mosquito bites will cause any serious issues for you. So, if one mosquito decides to make you an all-you-can-eat buffet, don’t worry too much about it.

Don’t cancel your next outdoor gathering trip or barbeque!

Mosquitoes and other pests can quickly ruin an outdoor gathering or a quiet afternoon in the yard. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can take back your yard and make the outdoors fun again with a call to your local pest control pros at Mosquito Joe. Our mosquito barrier spray can keep the biters at bay for up to 21 days. We also offer pest control and can even install a high-quality misting system that allows you and your family to enjoy your yard fully and freely. To learn more, give us a call at 1-855-275-2563, or visit us online today.