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Mosquitoes are more than just a nuisance, they can carry & spread diseases to pets and humans. Some mosquitoes can fly up to a mile or two or some fly only 100- 200 yards (Asian tiger mosquito). You should be aware of your surroundings and what water is on your property, especially after the heavy rain storms this past week.

The good news is that as a homeowner you can help reduce the mosquito infestation in your own backyard. Curren Environmental’s Mosquito Control & Remediation recommends that you follow the steps below so that you, your friends and family may enjoy your backyard.

• Corrugated drainpipes off downspouts. Each trough is a potential breeding ground. If you have many feet of drainpipe, consider replacing it with smooth PVC piping. If you can’t do that, just replace them.

• Children’s toys, especially plastic toys that have small areas where water can pool. Keep in mind that the toy itself may be very big, like a bike or a playhouse, but if it has handles or any indentation where water can pool in small amounts, it’s a breeding ground.

• All containers, such as buckets, pails, water bottles, trash cans (including lids), storage totes, recycling containers, etc. Even if these items are kept upside down, water can often pool in the handles or lips of the container.

• Tarps that hold water, even just a little, flip and empty them. Dry the tarps before replacing.

• Plastic chairs, tables and all outside furniture, especially if it is upside down

• Flowerpots, especially those with a saucer underneath it to catch water.

• Wheel barrels stored improperly.

• Anything that can hold small amounts of water. Even large things that hold water, like bird baths, usually have calm areas around the edges where mosquitoes can breed.

If you follow the steps above and remove the breeding grounds to best of your ability you may be able to reduce the number of mosquitoes in your yard.

For more information on Curren Environmental’s Mosquito Control & Remediation please call 856-858-9509 or email at tiffany@currenenvironmental.com.

The 10 Most Common Mosquito Myths

Myth 1:          All Mosquitoes bite.

False, only the female mosquito bites and some females do not bite at all.  The females that do bite need the protein in blood so she can lay eggs.  Rest assured if you get bit by a mosquito it was a female.

Myth 2:          Mosquitoes are small so a fan will keep them away.

This is true and false.  Mosquitoes are small, yes but a fan doesn't keep them away by blowing them away. Fans dilute our carbon dioxide, heat and individual smell -  all of which a mosquito uses to find us.

Myth 3:         Mosquitoes do not like the smell of citronella and DEET.

Yes and no, both citronella and DEET interfere with the mosquitoes receptors which are used to find blood meal.  In essence, these compounds are meant to hide you from mosquito.  What about garlic?  Like citronella, garlic is meant to mask your scent to confuse the mosquito’s receptors.   There is no real evidence that mosquitoes are repelled by garlic.  

Myth 4:          Fake news says that diseases are on the rise from mosquitoes.

As of May 1, 2018, the CDC states that mosquito, tick and fleabites have tripled in the United States.  From 2004 to 2016, over 640,000 cases have been reported https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2018/p0501-vs-vector-borne.html

Myth 5:          My blood type is irresistible to mosquitoes.

Studies have pointed to type O blood being more appetizing to mosquitoes.  If that is true, the research is not clear as to why.   What is known is that some people are simply more attractive to mosquitoes than others and this is believed to be from the carbon dioxide production of the individual as well as their scent.

Myth 6:         Bug zappers kill mosquitoes.

Studies of the dead insects in bug zappers found that the percentage of mosquitoes is relatively small.  This could be influenced by the fact that other insects are in greater numbers in a yard where a zapper is utilized.

Myth 7:        Mosquitoes only bite at night.

Sadly mosquitoes can and do bite in the heat of the day.  The Asian tiger mosquito is known to bite during the day.

Myth 8:        After a mosquito bites me, it will die.

If a bee stings you it will die. Mosquitoes can bite many people to get the blood needed to lay eggs, after the 

eggs are laid it will go bite someone else, so the circle of life can continue.

Myth 9:   My yard doesn't have any standing water so mosquitoes don't breed in my yard

Fact, if you are getting bitten by mosquitoes, you have a mosquito breeding ground on or immediately adjacent to your property.  Mosquitoes can lay eggs in a cap of water.

We treat thousands of properties a year for mosquito control and 90% have water that can and do breed mosquitoes.  Most people simple are not diligent enough to dump water from containers.   The following photos are from properties that we treat and that we inform owners of their water problems and they still don't get rid of all potential breeding areas