How Canceling Your Mosquito Control Early Can Backfire
Believe it or not, the first day of Fall is quickly approaching, which means the official end of summer is upon us. But just because we’re saying goodbye to summer on the calendar doesn’t mean we’re saying goodbye to warmer temperatures and those pesky mosquitoes. In most parts of the country, there are weeks (if not months!) of warm weather ahead, and with the temperatures cooling just a bit and humidity giving us a break, it’s the ideal time to enjoy the outdoors. You may be tempted to end your mosquito spraying season a bit early, especially if the kids are in school for a majority of the day. But we wanted to give you some information on why completing the full season of barrier spray treatments can help you avoid a frustrating start to your autumn and help your spring be a lot less itchy.
The Life Cycle of Mosquitoes
The last few sprays are some of the most important for a couple of reasons. Ending your spray season early not only breaks the barrier our services provide, it also gives mosquitoes a chance to breed. The time it takes a mosquito to complete the life cycle is 4-7 days. From the time a female lays her eggs to those eggs becoming biting adults is less than a week. Mosquitoes are tricky creatures. They lay eggs, hibernate, and can survive some pretty frigid temperatures throughout the winter months. All the eggs that were laid before hibernation can also survive the colder temps. They only need water and temperatures above 50 degrees to hatch! Cool weather like that might seem far off, but it’s only weeks away in some parts of the country. You might think the end of summer means the end of mosquitoes too, but stopping your mosquito control treatments early can backfire next year.
Avoid a Breeding Ground
If you end your season early, it gives female mosquitoes a chance to not only make your yard a home, but lay more eggs before the first freeze. That last mosquito treatment spray is vitally important to make sure technicians get rid of those last mosquitoes and mosquito larvae. Along with the barrier spray, our technicians can treat areas of standing water that are unavoidable. Examples of these are pool covers, creeks in your yard with muddy banks, or the base of flower pots. The technicians can treat these areas to make sure they stay free of mosquito larvae which keeps your yard “winterized.” If the last spray and treated areas of water are completed, then there’s no spring hatching in your yard!
We know it’s tempting to cancel service, but after a long day at school, those kiddos will be itching for some outside fun at home. We want to make sure that’s the only itching going on around your house. If you have any questions about your season, contact your local Mosquito Joe, and they’ll be happy to explain the process to you.
Don’t let mosquitoes trick you into ending service before the season ends. You’ll thank us later.
