Residents of Mooresville are facing one of the biggest challenges in their domestic life: mosquitoes. At this particularly perilous time wherein people are being forced to stay home for their safety, another danger lurks. But this danger is not a new one; it is a danger as old as time itself. We are talking about mosquitoes, the most dangerous creatures known to man. Quarantine has given us a new problem to face.
Mosquitos Are Running Our Lives
These tiny creatures are one of the most common household pests, along with roaches, mice, bed bugs, and rats, and now we will have to be with them 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Being under this predicament should not feel like a punishment. We have the power to control our present, and that includes controlling these pests. It is our house they are occupying anyway, so let us show them who is the boss!
For this reason, Lake Norman Home Services would like to share with you some tips on affordable pest control and mosquito extermination in Lake Norman. Before that, let us take a closer look at mosquitoes and their effects on the human way of life.
Facts About Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes are notorious for being the deadliest creatures on the planet. They transmit a handful of the world’s most dangerous diseases, which is why these insects have caused the death of millions of people all over the world. They have caused the deaths of more people than all of the wars in history combined! That is why few other creatures on earth have gained more antipathy than mosquitoes.
There are at least 3,000 species of mosquitoes found all over the planet. Its scientific name is Culicidae. They are tiny invertebrates that are classified as carnivores. They are small, about 0.125 to 0.75 centimeters in size and weigh only about .000088 ounce. Mosquitoes can live from 3 to 6 months.
Mosquitoes are more than a nuisance, they bite and transmit several diseases. Only the female mosquitoes bite because they are the ones with the necessary mouthparts to suck blood from humans and other animals. Their mouthparts have two tubes; one for injecting an enzyme that would prevent blood clotting, and one for sucking blood. Blood for them is a necessary source of protein so that they can produce eggs, and not necessarily for their nourishment. Both females and male adults feed on nectar from flowers.
They have weak vision, but they can compensate for that by being able to detect carbon dioxide, body odors, and body temperature of their potential hosts.
There are only three species of mosquitoes that are primarily responsible for the deaths of millions each year. They are the Anopheles, known to carry malaria, encephalitis, and filariasis; Culex. Known to carry West Nile fever, encephalitis, and filariasis; and Aedes, which carry dengue fever, yellow fever, and encephalitis.
The only good thing you can get from mosquitoes is that they are food for other beneficial creatures like birds, bats, frogs, and dragonflies.
Life Cycle
Mosquitoes go through 4 stages in their lives and undergo complete metamorphosis. The mosquitoes’ life cycle starts with a female adult laying eggs. They can lay 100 to 300 eggs at a time and can do so for the rest of their lives. These eggs will hatch and move onto the larvae stage, to pupae, and finally the adult stage. Female mosquitoes like to breed on water surfaces that have become stagnant for at least a week. Mosquitoes can live to as long as 5 to 6 months. Then the cycle starts all over again.
Mosquito-borne Diseases
Chikungunya
This is a viral disease that is spread to people by an infected mosquito. Symptoms include headache, high fever, nausea, severe joint pains, he, rash, and vomiting. This disease is transmitted to humans through mosquito bites. It can also be spread from mother to child as the mother gives birth, though this rarely happens. Similarly, it can be spread through blood transfusion. Chikungunya can be painful and debilitating, but not fatal. Those who are at risk for more severe symptoms are newborns and people ages 65 to above. Same with people with medical conditions like hypertension, heart ailments, and diabetes.
Malaria
This is a serious and often fatal disease that is caused by a parasite transmitted by a female Anopheles mosquito. Americans get malaria due to increased travel to countries where the parasites are endemic. Every year there is an average of 2,000 reported cases in the United States. Signs of malaria are fever, headache, muscle aches, nausea, muscle aches, chills, and tiredness. If not treated within 24 hours, malaria can progress to severe illness and even death. Consult a healthcare professional if you think you are infected with this disease.
Dengue Fever
Dengue fever is a painful, debilitating, and possibly life-threatening disease. It is estimated that there are 400 million dengue cases all over the world every year. It is caused by any one of these four dengue viruses: Dengue Virus 1, Dengue Virus 2, Dengue Virus 3, and Dengue Virus 4. Unfortunately, since dengue is caused by four strains, a person can have dengue 4 times in his lifetime. Signs and symptoms of dengue include a sudden high fever, pain behind the eyes, severe headache, severe joint and muscle pains, vomiting, nausea, and fatigue.
West Nile Fever
West Nile Fever is the most common mosquito-borne disease in the United States. Eighty percent are asymptomatic, while twenty percent show symptoms. Signs include mild fever, body aches, headaches, diarrhea, vision loss, numbness, body rashes, swollen lymph glands, muscle weakness, and paralysis. These symptoms usually show after 3 days to two weeks of being bitten. Those with symptoms would further severe symptoms. Meningitis and permanent brain damage may show up and could lead to death to the patient. Senior citizens and those with medical conditions are at higher risk of getting severe symptoms. Your doctor may order tests to verify if you contracted the virus.
Yellow Fever
There is jaundice that occurs in the patient after getting infected, hence the name. Normally, there are no symptoms for most people who are infected with yellow fever, but there are some cases that there are. Symptoms include fever, chills, severe headache, body pains, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and weakness. Then a few more patients will have a more severe phase in one day. Jaundice, high fever, dark urine, abdominal pains, bleeding in the eyes, nose, mouth, and stomach in more severe cases will appear. Death of the patient may occur after 7 to 10 days.
Zika Virus
This is one of the lesser-known mosquito-borne illnesses in the United States. Zika virus is mostly spread by the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito. Signs of this disease include fever, rashes, headaches, joint pain, and red eyes. Symptoms can last for several days but are mild and not fatal. There is no vaccine for Zika, although people who were already infected develop immunity to it. Sexual intercourse, blood transfusion, and a pregnant mother to her fetus are some other ways to transmit the virus.
Mosquito Control
There are several steps we should do to protect ourselves from mosquitoes. We cannot stress enough the importance of following these steps because of how deadly these insects are. Here are some of the things you can do to get rid of mosquitoes.
- Mosquitoes love to breed in standing water, so it is best to remove all old items that can hold water for a long time. These include old cans, old tires, old gutters, abandoned birdbaths, and water containers.
- When going outdoors, wear a long-sleeved shirt and long pants.
- Apply mosquito repellents with the active ingredient DEET for added protection.
- Before sleeping, put up a mosquito net to protect you from mosquitoes.
- Using an electric fan can disrupt a mosquito’s flight pattern, thus preventing them from getting to you.
- Use a fly swatter to kill mosquitoes.
If you already have mosquito infestation problems, then it is time to call the professionals. For the best pest control experts in Mooresville, call Lake Norman Home Services.
Why Lake Norman Home Services Is Simply the Best
Lake Norman Home Services is a family-owned commercial service solutions provider of modern pest control services and techniques, using the latest and most advanced technology in the business, making our service to you more efficient, safer, and more convenient. We have a team of expert professionals who can provide the best pest control services to residents and business establishments throughout North and South Carolina.
You are assured of your family’s safety with Lake Norman Home Services, as we use the only family-friendly and pet-friendly methods, ensuring your safety. You may check us on Facebook or Google us to know more about what our customers say about us. For more information, or to request a quote, call us now. Our friendly operators are standing by.