Mosquito Identification

What are mosquitoes?

Mosquitoes are flies, slim-bodied and long-legged, with a needle-like proboscis for feeding. Both sexes live on plant nectar and sweet liquids. The females also need blood to produce eggs, and that is the entire story behind every bite you have ever gotten: it is always a female, piercing skin to fuel the next batch of eggs.

Dozens of mosquito species are active across Central Texas, and the Austin area's warm climate stretches their season from early spring deep into fall. They are found on every continent except Antarctica, but on a July evening on your back patio, that is not much comfort.

Are mosquitoes dangerous?

By disease toll, mosquitoes are widely called the most dangerous animal on earth. Not every mosquito carries a pathogen, but enough do to make them a genuine public health issue. In Texas the list includes West Nile virus, western equine encephalitis, Saint Louis encephalitis, and Zika. For dogs and cats they transmit heartworm, a parasitic infection that can be fatal without treatment.

Even setting disease aside, bites raise itchy welts that can get infected when scratched, and people with sensitivities can react much more strongly. Households with young kids, older family members, or anyone immunocompromised have extra reason to take mosquito pressure seriously.

Why do I have a mosquito problem?

Because somewhere on or near your property there is standing water, and it takes shockingly little. A female mosquito can lay eggs in a bottle cap of stagnant water. Central Texas then supplies the rest: heat, periodic heavy rain, and thick vegetation, and populations explode through spring and summer.

Properties near creeks, drainage ditches, ponds, and low spots that hold rainwater carry the most risk, but tidy yards breed mosquitoes too. The usual culprits hide in plain sight: a clogged gutter, the saucer under a flower pot, a tarp holding a puddle.

Where will I find mosquitoes?

Mosquitoes are outdoor pests first, though they follow open windows, doors, and torn screens inside readily. Through the heat of the day they rest somewhere cool and shaded: dense vegetation, tall grass, shrubs, the undersides of leaves. Activity spikes at dawn and dusk when the air cools, which is when the biting happens.

Eggs go on or beside standing water. Nature provides ponds, marshes, tree hollows, and puddles; your yard provides bird baths, buckets, old tires, toys, pool covers, clogged gutters, and trash can lids. A week of undisturbed water in any of them is enough to hatch a new generation.

How do I get rid of mosquitoes?

You have to hit both ends of the life cycle: the adults biting you tonight and the breeding sites producing next week's adults. Citronella candles and consumer repellents buy you a little personal relief and change nothing about the population living on the property.

Accurate Termite and Pest Control has helped Central Texas homeowners take their yards back for over 25 years. We run recurring monthly mosquito service for season-long protection and one-time treatments when you need a specific evening covered, a wedding, a graduation, a backyard party. Get in touch about our mosquito control services and get a free estimate.

How can I prevent mosquitoes in the future?

Mosquito prevention is a war on standing water. Our techs recommend:

• Tip and rinse bird baths, plant saucers, buckets, and outdoor toys at least weekly so nothing holds water long enough to hatch eggs.
• Clean the gutters. Trapped water and leaf sludge up there is a mosquito nursery you never see.
• Store buckets, wheelbarrows, and tarps upside down or under cover when not in use.
• Keep pond and fountain water moving with a pump. Mosquitoes want still water, so circulation ruins it for them.
• Mow regularly and trim back the overgrown shrubs and vegetation where adults rest through the day.
• Screen every window and door and patch tears promptly to keep them outside where they belong.
• For dawn and dusk hours outside, wear long sleeves and use an EPA-registered repellent.
• Run a fan on the patio when you entertain. Mosquitoes are weak fliers and a steady breeze grounds them.
• Consider baiting stations and monthly fogging for season-long coverage, especially near water.

You can also read about our home pest control and commercial pest control programs.