Mosquitoes
Which Pests are Bugging You?
Mosquito Control in Wichita, Kansas
It is undeniable that mosquitoes are a problem in Wichita, Kansas and surrounding cities every summer and people are looking for mosquito control. You want to be outside enjoying your yard, barbecuing, playing with the kids, and you get bombarded by these sneaky attackers that suck your blood and leave you with itchy welts. Not only are the bites uncomfortable and itchy, but they can also come with diseases and health risks. Nobody wants mosquitoes on their property. However, not everybody takes the necessary precautions to reduce mosquito breeding and harborage, protect themselves, and alleviate the problem. Read through the information below from our Staff Entomologist, Jordan, to learn more about mosquito behavior, what you can do to protect yourself, and how a pest control professional like Patton Termite & Pest Control can help you control your mosquitoes in Wichita, Kansas and surrounding areas!
Mosquito Basics
Description of Mosquitoes:
Mosquitoes found in Wichita, Kansas can vary in size and color. They generally range in size from 3mm to 6mm. Individuals can identify females and males by the mosquitoes antennae. Males have very hairy antennae, while females have minimal hair on the antennae. Often in Kansas, mosquitoes are either light tan, brown, or black. Also, they can be distinguished by the long mouth parts extending from their heads.
How do Mosquitoes Feed?
Mosquitoes find a host by chemical cue sensing of CO2, , sweat, and other body odors. If in close enough range to a host, mosquitoes may be able to sense the host’s body heat or temperature. Once a mosquito has found a host in range, they will locate an area on the body that is easily accessible and out of sight, like the back of the arms, legs, ankles, etc.
Mosquitoes normally take 1-2 minutes to feed until engorgement, by finding a sneaky place on the body they can have an uninterrupted, full blood meal. However, if a mosquito is swatted away by a hand, it may try multiple times to get a full blood meal, causing numerous itchy bites. Once landed a mosquito will use its long mouth part to suck blood. Mosquitoes have two pump like organs in the head that help with quick suction. After feeding, a female mosquito will rest in the shade of trees, bushes, or flowers to let the blood digest and use the protein for egg production.
How often do Mosquitoes feed?
Mosquitoes feed to gain energy for flight, breeding, and maintenance on an as-needed basis. Males are known to only feed on nectar from flowering plants while females will feed on nectar and blood to produce eggs. She will only consume blood to obtain protein for egg production.
What preys on mosquitoes and who are their prey?
Predators of mosquitoes are other insects, spiders, bats, birds, and some fish. Mosquitoes, like many other insects, have bias towards certain food sources. However, if their preferred food source is not present, mosquitoes will prey on any blood host. Often, Culex sp. feed on birds and other wildlife. However, they will feed on people and domestic animals if necessary. Aedes sp. prefer human hosts and domestic animals but will feed on birds and wildlife if necessary.
Mosquito Habitat and Behavior
When are mosquitoes active?
Depending on the species, mosquitoes can be found throughout the day. Commonly in Wichita, Kansas, mosquitoes like Culex sp. are active during the early mornings and dusk which is important to keep in mind when taking control measures. While others like Aedes sp. are mostly active during the day because they prefer a human blood source and that is when people are most active outdoors.
Where are Mosquitoes commonly found?
Mosquitoes can be found anywhere a water source and shade is present. They can deposit eggs in containers, tree holes, etc with a minuscule amount of water (enough that fits in a bottle lid). Mosquitoes like items like kids toys, water baths, plant saucers under flower pots, gutters, old buckets, old tires, and many other items that hold water easily. Mosquitoes prefer water that has decaying organic matter in it. However, they will lay eggs in about all water depending on the species.
How do Mosquitoes breed?
Mosquitoes often breed in areas that have an abundance of water for laying eggs. Culex mosquitoes look for water that is dirty and may not be as nutritious for larvae, while Aedes look for water with high organic matter with high nutritional content. Mosquitoes normally will only travel 100-250m from their emergence site in search of a food source or breeding site.
Personal Safety with Mosquitoes
Risks associated with Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes are the number one killers of people annually. Mosquitoes accidentally spread pathogens through their bite. In Wichita, Kansas and surrounding cities, mosquitoes can accidentally spread pathogens such as West Nile Virus and St. Louis Encephalits. While Zika virus was a hot topic in 2015, this pathogen is not yet an issue in Kansas. The mosquito species, Aedes aegypti, has not established in Kansas at this time because of the cooler climate. Surveillance should be increased for West Nile Virus during years of drought or when Culex sp. are in high concentrations in urban areas. Other pathogens of concern that may need to be under surveillance in the future are Dengue, Chikungunya, and Malaria.
What should you do to protect yourself from mosquitoes?
Special clothing: Long sleeves and pants are always a smart choice when individuals are in areas with high mosquito populations. It is also recommended to wear loose clothing so that they will not have easy access to your skin.
Insect repellent: At this time, Deet products are the most recommended for personal protection from mosquitoes. Some new botanical products are on the market. However, no research has currently been conducted on the effectiveness of these botanical products.
Products/safety: The best personal protection is prevention. Residential exterior treatment of yards, playgrounds, and walking paths can help reduce mosquito populations along with the use of personal insect repellents. Other products available on the market for mosquito control are mosquito light systems or propane insect control traps. Trap effectiveness is based on the environment affect on the product as well as the mosquito population size. If a population is heavily infesting an area, these products may not reduce the numbers in the localized area. Calling a pest professional to help with a prevention program is always best.
Professional Mosquito Control In Wichita, Kansas by Patton Termite & Pest Control
How does a professional treat for mosquitoes?
Mosquitoes rest on the underside of leaves of plants in the shade. Technicians will come out on a dry morning to fog insecticide on the foliage of the yard trees, bushes, etc. Flowering plants will not be treated due to risk for bees and other beneficial insects.
How often should you treat for mosquitoes?
Mosquito services are scheduled every 60 days for continuous prevention and control. Mosquito treatments should begin in May and last until October or until the first hard freeze.
How well does mosquito treatment work?
Proper mosquito treatment should reduce localized mosquito population at your home greatly. Mosquito treatments are not 100% control methods because often mosquitoes from the surrounding area will fly into the treated yard, if the mosquito lands on the treated foliage it will be killed, but the mosquito may find a blood source before it lands on the treated areas.
Is mosquito service safe for people and pets?
Our technicians are licensed, certified, and trained to use all materials according to their labeling. After treatment, and the material has dried, the product poses virtually no risk to people and pets. Technicians will recommend placing pets in a secure areas until drying has occurred and will also recommend the homeowner stay indoors until treatment dries. To protect others in the neighborhood and the other animals in the environment, professional technicians will treat during the day when wind speeds are low to reduce pesticide drift.
How much does service for mosquitoes cost in Wichita, Kansas and surrounding areas?
Every property is unique. There are always different factors that contribute to pest populations. This is especially true with mosquitoes. We like to have one of our service specialists evaluate the situation to come up with a treatment plan. Additionally, property size, foliage, conducive conditions, and location are all considered in our pricing. For a free quote, give our office a call and we can have one of our professionals come up with a treatment plan designed for you!
What can you do to reduce your risk of Mosquitoes in the yard?
If your home is mosquito target and collector, we have a few tips to help you reduce your mosquito population.
–While flowers, decorative bushes, and trees add beauty to your home, they can also attract nuisance pests like mosquitoes. Reducing flowering plants and extra foliage from our yards will reduce hiding and resting areas for mosquitoes.
–Another item to reduce is water. Removing items that collect or hold water is always a good option. However if this is not possible, the use of mosquito larvicide granules may be helpful.
–Another source of mosquitoes is clogged gutters, during the fall, leaves fall in our gutters which decay through the winter and spring. Once a mosquito lay her eggs in the water of the gutter, this decaying organic matter becomes a supreme food source for mosquito larvae.
–Practice personal safety by using insect repellents and wearing the appropriate protective clothing.
–Finally, call a professional like Patton Termite & Pest Control of Wichita, Kansas to get started with our Mosquito Reduction Program
How can you get mosquito protection at your home?
Ultimately, it is best to be informed about mosquitoes and partner with a pest control professional like Patton Termite & Pest Control for mosquito protection for yourself and your family in Wichita, Kansas and surrounding areas. Give us a call and we can have one of our service specialists evaluate your treatment needs and come up with a service plan that is right for you. Pricing and information is free and we would love to hear from you! 316-773-3825.
We offer mosquito control, and other pest control services, in the following cities: Wichita, Maize, Goddard, Cheyney, Andale, Colwich, Mount Hope, Clearwater, Haysville, Derby, Rose Hill, Belle Plaine, Mulvaine, Park City, Valley Center, Kechi, Andover, Augusta, El Dorado, Benton, and more! Check our service map to see if your area is included.
