Where there’s warm weather, mosquitoes won’t be far behind! When you start to feel the itchiness from the first mosquito bite of the season, the first thought that comes to mind is, “Where are all of these mosquitoes coming from?!”
To help you get a handle on the mosquito population taking up residence in your backyard, let’s talk about where they live and how you can make sure it isn’t your backyard!
Where Do Mosquitoes Live?
While it may seem that mosquitoes occupy your backyard and eardrums alone, mosquitoes actually live in different environments throughout their lifecycle.
You can probably find all of these environments in your backyard, which is why they seem to be very persistent neighbors. Throughout their lifecycle, mosquitoes will call standing water (such as ponds, puddles, and wetlands) their home.
Mosquito Eggs and Larvae
In the early stages of their life, mosquitoes are aquatic, which means adult mosquitoes lay their eggs in areas of standing water. They will remain in the egg stage for only 24-48 hours, then move into the larva stage, staying in water for 4-14 days and feeding on microorganisms and algae.
Once a mosquito larva has molted four times, it develops into the pupa stage, which is also aquatic. From here, the adult mosquito emerges from its casing, dries its wings, and takes flight. Water must be present for them to complete the cycle from egg to adult. So, if you want to remove mosquitoes, remove the standing water from your yard.
Adult Mosquitoes’ Habitats
When they are not out for blood or breeding, adult mosquitoes can be found in cool, shaded areas, like tall grasses, logs, hollow trees, stumps, or leaf litter.
Within 28 hours of becoming an adult, mosquitoes start to breed. Females require a blood meal to mate successfully – hence the biting! Relying on the scent of human sweat and other odors or the feel of our body heat, they find their host and start snacking. After their meal, they return to their preferred habitats to lay their eggs, often near or in standing water.
Misconception: What Does a Mosquito Nest Look Like?
As you may have noticed, none of these mosquito life stages describe what we might think of as a traditional nest. They are not social insects such as bees or ants and move from place to place until they find a breeding ground that is suitable for laying eggs and completing their cycle.
Unfortunately, that means removing mosquitoes from your yard is a little trickier than simply finding a mosquito nest and decimating it, no matter how satisfying that would be.
How to Control Mosquito Population in Your Yard
If your yard is starting to feel like a place where mosquitoes live, some mosquito control measures are needed to make it less inviting:
- Regularly empty ponds, bird baths, fountains, buckets, kids' toys, and anything else that may gather water.
- Drill holes in tire swings, trash cans, and recycle bins so stagnant water cannot accumulate.
- Cut grass and shrubs short – adult mosquitoes gather to rest in shady areas.
- Clean out gutters to avoid standing water.
- Repair leaky outdoor faucets.
- Set up specialized mosquito traps.
- Let Mosquito Joe® be your second line of defense by getting a barrier treatment that protects your yard from mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas.
Call the Experts for Mosquito Control Services
If you’re tired of living where mosquitoes do, call your locally owned and operated Mosquito Joe! Our experts know exactly where mosquitoes live and how to evict them from your space.
Plus, all of our pest control services are backed by the Neighborly Done Right Promise®; and the Mosquito Joe Guarantee, so you can rest assured that your yard will be bite-free in no time.
You don’t have to share your space with pesky mosquitoes any longer. Call Mosquito Joe to request a free quote today!
This article is intended for general guidance only and may not be applicable to every situation. You are responsible for determining the proper course of action for your property and your situation. Mosquito Joe is not responsible for any damages that occur as a result of any advice or guidance derived from blog content. For the most accurate guidance, contact an independently owned and operated Mosquito Joe for more information and a professional on-site assessment.
