Think rattlesnakes or sharks are the most dangerous creatures in California other than humans? Think again. Mosquitoes that buzz around the Santa Barbara, CA area pose one of the highest threats to your health when it comes to humans and pets. In fact, mosquitoes are now considered to be one of the deadliest creatures worldwide because of their ability to transmit a wealth of diseases.
Are mosquitoes dangerous?
Consider all the diseases mosquitoes can spread: West Nile virus, Zika virus, yellow fever, Chikungunya virus, and others like malaria.
Santa Barbara, CA residents should take precautions to avoid mosquito bites in any way they can. Illness from biting insects is on the rise. Summertime is prime time for mosquitoes, and with the beautiful weather we have most of the year, mosquitoes are a higher risk for us than in some parts of the country.
What attracts mosquitoes to my yard?
Mosquitoes are most active in the hours around dawn and dusk, and sometimes well into the night. Contrary to what you might think, mosquitoes detect the CO2 from our breath, not the smell of blood. If you are on your deck talking with friends or family, your breath can lure mosquitoes from hundreds of feet away.
Once a mosquito homes in on CO2, they follow it to the scent of human skin. So, even if you use bug spray, you may still deal with mosquitoes buzzing around. If you miss a spot of exposed skin when applying mosquito repellent, you leave yourself open for bites.
Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water, but the water does not have to cover a large area. A female mosquito can lay hundreds of eggs in just one square inch of water or as small as a bottle cap.
How can I prevent mosquitoes from getting into my yard?
Because mosquitoes need water to lay their eggs, make sure you never leave standing water around your property. Mosquitoes can also lay eggs in dead tree stumps, so remove any stumps or lawn debris left around your yard.
Keeping gutters clean can help prevent this area as a breeding ground for mosquitoes, and you may even want to cover downspout openings with a mesh screen to prevent mosquitoes from getting inside to lay eggs.
Whenever it is tolerable, wear long sleeves and pants outside around dusk and dawn, and after dark.
Do bug sprays and mosquito zappers work?
Different people have varying results with bug sprays. Repellents with DEET in them are the most effective, but also have potential health risks. If you use insect repellent sprays, everyone in the yard must use them. DEET does not kill mosquitoes. It masks the scent that mosquitoes track to find humans during the span of usage. Mosquitoes will still detect CO2, so they will swarm in to search for a blood meal even if your insect repellent is strong enough.
Bug zappers are not effective in preventing mosquito bites. While a bug zapper might kill a few dozen mosquitoes, it will not take care of potentially hundreds buzzing around the area. Zappers only work for the duration of the time used.
How can O’Connor Pest Control prevent mosquitoes from infesting my lawn?
If you want valuable, guaranteed, on-going mosquito control, you need to contact a professional for property mosquito control. At O’Connor Pest Control, we’ve taken care of insects like mosquitoes for nearly 70 years.
We know how to effectively rid your property of mosquitoes and make it unfavorable for them to enter your space. If you want guaranteed results and successful mosquito control in your yard, contact us today!
Take charge of your lawn and the health of yourself and your family. Mosquitoes might be in California, but they don’t have to be a problem on your property. Contact us today for a mosquito control estimate on your property.