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Keeping Mosquitoes Away from Your Home: Tips and Tricks

2nd April 2023
Mosquito Control, Mosquitos, Pest Control
Robert John
no responses

Are you tired of pesky mosquitoes invading your home and ruining your outdoor fun? Here are some practical tips and tricks to keep them at bay and enjoy a mosquito-free environment.

Mosquitoes are more than just annoying insects that leave itchy bites; they can also carry dangerous diseases like malaria, dengue fever, and Zika virus. That’s why it’s crucial to take necessary precautions to keep these bloodsuckers away from your home. In this article, we’ll share some practical tips and tricks to help you create a mosquito-free environment.

Why Should You Keep Mosquitoes Away from Your Home?

Mosquitoes are not only a nuisance, but they can also transmit serious diseases like West Nile virus, chikungunya, and yellow fever. By keeping mosquitoes away from your home, you can protect yourself and your family from these dangerous illnesses.

What Attracts Mosquitoes?

Mosquitoes are attracted to several things, including:

Standing water
Sweat and body odor
Dark clothing
Carbon dioxide (CO2) in breath
Lactic acid in sweat
Heat and moisture

How to Keep Mosquitoes Away from Your Home?

Here are some practical tips to help you keep mosquitoes away from your home:

1. Remove Standing Water

Mosquitoes breed in standing water, so it’s crucial to eliminate any stagnant water around your home. Make sure to:
Clean your gutters regularly to prevent water from pooling.
Get rid of any items that collect water, such as old tires, buckets, or bottles.
Cover or empty any containers that hold water, such as bird baths or flower pots.
Keep swimming pools and hot tubs clean and chlorinated.

2. Use Mosquito Repellent

Using mosquito repellent is an effective way to keep mosquitoes away from your skin. Look for repellents containing DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus. Apply the repellent on all exposed skin before going outside, and reapply as needed.

3. Wear Light-Colored Clothing

Mosquitoes are attracted to dark colors, so it’s best to wear light-colored clothing when spending time outdoors. Loose-fitting clothing can also help prevent mosquitoes from biting through your clothes.

4. Install Screens

Installing screens on windows and doors is an effective way to keep mosquitoes out of your home. Make sure to patch up any holes or tears in the screens to prevent mosquitoes from sneaking in.

5. Use Mosquito Nets

Mosquito nets are an effective way to protect yourself from mosquitoes while sleeping. Make sure to choose a net with a fine mesh that mosquitoes can’t penetrate.

6. Use Fans

Mosquitoes are weak fliers, so using fans can help keep them away from your skin. Place fans in outdoor seating areas, and turn them on high to create a breeze that mosquitoes can’t handle.

7. Use Citronella Candles

Citronella candles emit a scent that mosquitoes dislike, making them an effective way to keep mosquitoes away from outdoor seating areas. Place candles around the perimeter of the area you want to protect, and light them before sitting outside.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. How do I know if I have mosquitoes around my home?

A. Mosquitoes are most active at dawn and dusk, so that’s when you’re most likely to see them. You may also notice their bites on your skin, which are often itchy and raised. If you have standing water around your home, such as in a bird bath or pool, you may also see mosquito larvae swimming in the water.

Q. Are there any natural ways to repel mosquitoes?

A. Yes, there are several natural mosquito repellents you can try, including:
Essential oils like citronella, peppermint, and lavender
Garlic
Catnip
Lemon balm
Basil

Q. Can mosquitoes be dangerous to pets?

A. Yes, mosquitoes can transmit heartworm disease to dogs and cats, which can be fatal if left untreated. Make sure to keep your pets on heartworm preventative medication and keep them indoors during peak mosquito activity times.

Mosquitoes can be a nuisance and a health hazard, but with these practical tips and tricks, you can keep them away from your home and enjoy a mosquito-free environment. Remember to eliminate standing water, use mosquito repellent, wear light-colored clothing, install screens, and use fans and citronella candles to repel mosquitoes. By taking these simple precautions, you can protect yourself and your family from mosquito-borne illnesses and enjoy your time outdoors without any pesky interruptions.

Whenever A Mosquito Bites You, Its Neurons Ignite Like Fireworks

30th December 2020
Pest Control
Robert John
no responses

Mosquitoes routinely risk their lives to feed on human blood. However, it is more than just a mechanic, instinctive impulse that drives this behavior. Mosquitos love the taste of human blood so much that neurons connected to its syringe-like tongue explode like fireworks. The behavior is also exclusive to females, and it is driven by the need to nourish their eggs as they develop. When they are not nurturing their eggs, they will feed on flower nectar.

In order to better understand why mosquitoes feed on human blood, scientists used a genetically modified genus of the Aedes aegypti mosquito species, whose taste-related neurons emit fluorescent lighting whenever they are activated. Using fluorescent microscopy, the researchers were then able to detect which neurons were firing as the mosquitoes fed on human blood and other liquids.

Scientists who research the behavior of mosquitoes will usually allow the mosquitoes to bite them. However, for this study, the researchers used a device known as a biteOscope, which was designed by another team, and which consists of a small open platform that has a membrane over several pockets that have liquid inside them. The biteOscope basically mimics a skin-covered host and it allows scientists to collect data on mosquito feeding behavior without having to use humans as subjects in the tests.
By using this device and the genetically modified mosquitoes, scientists were able to observe the neuronal activity in the mosquito beaks as the insects approached blood, nectar, and a blood-like solution made from sodium bicarbonate, sodium chloride and glucose, in concentrations that mimicked the blood values of vertebrate species. The blood-like solution also contained adenosine triphosphate (ATP) which is a chemical compound that is found in blood, and which transfers energy to the cells through which the blood travels. Previous studies have shown that ATP is attractive to mosquitoes.

Interestingly, the neuron’s in the mosquito’s stylet flared up only in the presence of blood and the lab-made blood-like substance. Scientists were still not certain what blood tasted like to mosquitoes however. Is it sweet, is it salty? This is because ATP has no taste to us, and that is the component that attracts mosquitoes to our blood.

While we do not share the mosquitoes attraction to ATP, both our species have an appreciation for salty tastes. We perceive the salt flavour of the chemical sodium chloride, which is present in our blood and the synthetic blood used during the experiment.

Understanding why human blood is so attractive to mosquitoes could be the first step in developing products that reduce our appeal to mosquitoes. It could also help scientists stop the spread of diseases such as Zika and dengue, which mosquitoes transmit by feeding on people who have been infected. On a global scale, this could lead to a considerable decrease in mortality and, not to mention, suffering. Of course, if we could remove the nuisance of being bitten by a mosquito, it would be a nice, little extra