You might be familiar with the itchy, irritating bites that mosquitoes leave behind, but did you know their name means “little fly,” or that there are around 3,500 mosquitoes across the globe? Not to mention, male mosquitoes aren’t the ones you should be worried about – while males only feed on nectar, it’s the female mosquitoes that need your blood for the development of their eggs.
As fascinating as mosquitoes might be to study, that doesn’t mean you want them on your Mooresville property – here’s what you should know about the diseases these pests spread, what may be attracting them to your home, and how you can significantly reduce mosquito activity on your property.
What Diseases Do Mosquitoes Spread in Mooresville, NC?
When you think of the most dangerous animals in the world, you might picture great white sharks or tigers – but what about mosquitoes? While some of these insects may be harmless, others carry deadly diseases that make them responsible for over a million deaths per year. The most common mosquito-borne diseases include:
- Zika virus: Symptoms of the Zika virus include fever, joint pain, and headaches, but it’s especially dangerous for pregnant women as it can cause their children to have serious health conditions.
- Dengue fever: Caused by the dengue virus, dengue fever can lead to a high fever, bleeding underneath the skin, or constant vomiting.
- West Nile virus: One of the most common mosquito-borne diseases in the United States, West Nile virus can cause a high fever, and in some cases, may be fatal.
- Malaria: Malaria can lead to fever, chills, and other symptoms of a flu-like illness.
- Yellow fever: Yellow fever may not last long, but it can cause fever, chills, headaches, and nausea within five days of being infected.
- Chikungunya: Symptoms of this disease include muscle pain, headache, fever, and joint pain that lasts for weeks or months.
What Attracts Mosquitoes to Your Home in Mooresville, NC?
You may not realize it, but certain factors around your property could be attracting mosquitoes to your property or luring them in, such as:
- Standing water structures, like birdbaths, troughs that collect water, flooded gutters, or other debris that rainwater may collect in
- Overgrown foliage, shrubs, grass, or even weeds that can provide mosquitoes shelter from the hot North Carolina sun
- Flowering gardens that offer mosquitoes plenty of nectar to drink
- Bug zappers, which may attract male mosquitoes, but usually won’t do much to deter female mosquitoes on your property
While you may not be able to control every aspect of what attracts mosquitoes to your property, removing standing water and drainage issues, keeping your lawn and foliage trimmed, and being mindful about where you plant your flowers can make a big difference.
What's The Best Way To Combat Mosquitoes In Mooresville, NC?
While the tips above may be able to help prevent you from attracting more mosquitoes, it’s not always enough to fight off the existing ones. In some cases, you may need to rely on a professional pest service like Lake Norman Home Services to combat the mosquitoes that have invaded your property.
Before you wage war against the mosquitoes on your property, call us at Lake Norman Home Services today to find out more about our mosquito control program and how we can help.