Mosquitoes are an extremely common pest, and their itchy bites and irritating nature also makes them one of the most disliked -- and the Charlotte North Carolina area is not immune to a frustrating mosquito presence
TYPES OF MOSQUITOES IN NORTH CAROLINA
North Carolina most commonly sees two types of mosquitoes: the Asian tiger mosquito and the eastern tree-hole mosquito. Asian tiger mosquitoes:
- Have black bodies with visible white stripes
- Have a distinctive single white stripe running the length of the back.
- Are about a ¼ of an inch long
Eastern tree-hole mosquitoes:
- Have dark and narrow wing scales and dark unbanded legs.
- Notably have a median brown stripe of scales with silvery-white scales on the lateral sides.
- Are ¼ of an inch long or smaller
WHAT ATTRACTS MOSQUITOES?
- Moist areas where they can lay their eggs
- Blood, which female mosquitoes use to provide nutrients to their young
- Certain odors that are released in sweat
- Human blood type, with O negative being a favorite among mosquitoes
PREVENTING MOSQUITOES AND THEIR BITES
There are a few measures you can take to limit your property’s exposure to mosquitoes and your own exposure to their bites:
- Dump any standing water collecting in outdoor areas, like buckets, birdbaths, tarps, and plant holders.
- Put screens on windows and doors to keep mosquitoes outside, or consider a mosquito net to hang over your bed.
- Use mosquito repellant with DEET.
- Wear long sleeves when spending prolonged periods of time outdoors.
WHY MOSQUITOES ARE DANGEROUS
Mosquitoes are dangerous to humans specifically because of their ability to spread disease. Mosquitoes have been recorded the following diseases in the United States:
- West Nile Virus
- Eastern equine encephalitis
- St. Louis encephalitis
- Dengue Chikungunya
- Zika
WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE MOSQUITOES
A mosquito problem on your property can be very difficult to take care of on your own, and can quickly spiral out of control. If you’re having a mosquito issue, it’s best to contact professionals.
CITY WIDE EXTERMINATING MOSQUITO CONTROL
Our exterminators protect your family with barrier treatments that significantly reduce the population of mosquitoes in your yard.
With our residential mosquito control services, we automatically treat your yard every 30 days. Most mosquito treatments can be done within 20 minutes, with people and pets allowed to safely return to their property 30 minutes after completion.