How to Get Rid of Mosquitoes in Houston
If you’ve ever wondered how to get rid of mosquitoes, Green Bee is here to help. Waking up with itchy bumps and buzzing sounds in your home are signs that mosquitoes have arrived. Before you reach for the swatter or douse yourself in a chemical repellant, consider other options. Luckily, there are many ways to get rid of mosquitoes in the home.
- Natural repellant made with lemon, eucalyptus, or lavender oil can keep these bugs away.
- Burning sage, rosemary, or even coffee grounds have also been shown to repel mosquitoes.
- Mosquito traps, even homemade ones made with plastic bottles and sugar, can be effective at catching these pests.
- Zappers are an easy, hands-off way to deal with mosquitoes.
Outside the house, make sure to eliminate any standing water that can accumulate in a pool, pond, or even buckets. For the long-term eradication of mosquitoes, professional mosquito control treatments with high-quality pesticides are the best option.
What is a Mosquito?
Mosquitoes are a type of small fly, with over 3500 different types of mosquitoes making up this species. When you think, “what is a mosquito?” chances are the first thing that comes to mind is their itchy bites. But, not all mosquitoes bite. Usually, only female mosquitoes bite people to get blood for their eggs. However, some mosquitoes bite for no reason, known as nuisance mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes generally live between 2 and 4 weeks, with females outliving males. Factors such as species, temperature, and even humidity can affect how mosquitoes live and act.
What are the Types of Mosquitoes?
There are many different types of mosquitoes. They can be broken down into 8 kinds: Aedes, anopheles, culex, culiseta, mansonia, psorophora, toxorhynchites, and wyeomyia. The most common types of mosquitoes in Houston include the Aedes, anopheles, and culex.
Aedes Aegypti: Also known as the yellow fever mosquito, this is a dangerous pest common in Houston. These mosquitoes carry Zika virus, dengue, and yellow fever. They are active at night and during cloudy weather. Eliminate stagnant water to ensure they don’t have a habitat.
Anopheles Quadrimaculatus: also known as the common malaria mosquito, this mosquito is large and dark brown. They are active throughout the night and carry many diseases such as malaria, heartworms, and parasites. Standing water can become a breeding ground for these pests.
Aedes Albopictus: Also known as an Asian tiger mosquito, this mosquito is tiny and dark with white stripes. They bite humans and animals, potentially passing many diseases. Active during the daytime, they breed in plants and tree holes.
Culex Pipiens: Famously known as the common house mosquito, this mosquito can breed indoors or outdoors. Active during the night, they can spread diseases like meningitis. Make sure to keep areas clean and free of sugar to reduce the chances of this pest taking hold of your home.
When are Mosquitoes Most Active?
Unfortunately, because there are different types of mosquitoes, there are mosquitoes active in the morning, day, and night. Most mosquitoes, such as yellow fever, malaria, and house mosquitoes, are active at night. This means that they seek to feed and lay eggs while you’re asleep, making them especially dangerous.
Other mosquitoes, like the Asian tiger mosquito, are active during the day. These mosquitoes still breed fairly quickly and must be taken care of sooner rather than later.
When is Mosquito Season?
Mosquito season in Houston is quite long, as these pests thrive in temperatures higher than 50 degrees. As this is most of the time in Houston, mosquitoes are active from March to October, with high activity between April and September. In fact, Houston is ranked in the top 3 cities nationwide for mosquitoes. Because the warm climate is a perfect breeding ground for these pests, they are a yearly problem plaguing homeowners.
How to Get Rid of Mosquitoes?
Getting rid of mosquitoes can be as simple as removing their habitats. Mosquitoes crave cool, damp places. This means that fountains, ponds, pools, and even tires collect standing water that mosquitoes love. Make sure to clean out areas that could attract mosquitoes.
If you see mosquitoes around, try these remedies for eradicating these pests.
- Make sure windows and doors have well-fitting screens.
- Essential oils like lavender, lemon, and eucalyptus are natural mosquito repellents.
- Burning sage, rosemary, or coffee grounds can smoke out mosquitoes.
- Like to cook? Try cooking up some garlic! The fumes will repel mosquitoes.
- Electric zappers and traps can kill mosquitoes that fall in. Homemade traps can be made with plastic bottles and sugar.
If your infestation is too much for simple remedies, consider hiring a professional mosquito control service.
What is Mosquito Control?
A mosquito control service is the most effective mosquito treatment because professionals can locate and eradicate even the toughest of mosquitoes.
At Green Bee, we want to make sure you enjoy your lawn all summer long without pesky mosquitoes buzzing around. That’s why we use the In2Care® Mosquito Trap to trap and eliminate mosquitoes quickly. While insecticides are a traditional treatment, insecticide resistance is rising, meaning sprays can no longer treat mosquitoes. Placing mosquito traps is not only more effective, but it’s also an environmentally-friendly mosquito treatment.
Our mosquito traps use water with an alluring odor to attract mosquitoes. Then, mosquitoes are met with a larvicide that kills eggs, preventing new mosquitoes from forming. A fungus that removes diseases is also applied so that the mosquitoes will not carry harmful illnesses. Once trapped, the mosquitoes will simply die. A technician will come change out the traps as part of the program.
Interested in fast and effective mosquito control?
Keep safe from annoying mosquitoes, harmful diseases, and protect the environment with Green Bee’s mosquito control services.
*Limited time offer not valid with any other promotion.
Want a professional to handle the lawn care work for you?
Call Green Bee Lawn Care at (832) 678-5900 or request a quote online.
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About Green Bee Lawn Care
Green Bee Lawn Care is your reliable, family-owned Houston Lawn Care Company. We offer professional lawn care services to customers in the Houston, Texas and surrounding areas. We pride ourselves on providing a one-stop shop for all of your lawn care needs including, weed control, lawn fertilization, aeration, seeding, fire ant control, tree & shrub care, mosquito spraying, and more.
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