Mosquito Identification Guide

Mosquitoes are small flies that live worldwide. Below are some mosquito facts:

• Mosquito means “little fly.”
• Only females bite people and animals. They require blood meals to get the protein they need to create viable eggs.
• The primary food source for male and female mosquitoes is plant nectar and other sweet liquids.
• In order to feed on either blood or plant nectar, mosquitoes use an extended mouthpart called a proboscis.
• Though they can fly some distances, a slight breeze will throw them off course.

The fact is that trying to share any outdoor space with mosquitoes is unpleasant at best and dangerous at worst. Female mosquitoes bite us to feed on our blood, swarming us and delivering numerous itchy bites.

The biggest danger associated with mosquitoes is their ability to spread diseases. Named as one of the most dangerous pests, these small flies are responsible for more than a million deaths worldwide each year. While mosquitoes don’t spread as many diseases in the U.S as they do in tropical or developing countries, they are still a major health risk, and contact with them should be as limited as possible.

Mosquitoes are most active in the summer in our area because that is the time of year when the weather is hot and humid and provides them with plenty of vegetation and standing water to feed and breed successfully. After a period of rainy weather, you will find that mosquito populations will explode because there are so many areas of standing water for the females to lay their eggs. Their eggs develop into larvae and then into new biting adults.

In our yards, standing water tends to build up in the following areas:

• Clogged gutters
• Tree hollows
• Hard-sided containers
• Low lying areas
• Yard debris like brush piles and leaf piles

Mosquitoes are a problem wherever there is a lot of moisture and stagnant water as that is where the females lay their eggs. They are also problematic in areas with overgrown grass or vegetation that provides them with shady resting spots. 

Habitats, where mosquitoes thrive, include wooded areas, fields, meadows, outdoor spaces around ponds and drainage areas, and of course, in our backyards!

The safest and most stress-free way to control the number of mosquitoes feeding and breeding in your yard is to partner with an experienced professional. At Encon, we treat our customers like family and work as a team to ensure we meet your pest control needs and keep your family safe.

To help you significantly reduce mosquitoes living in your yard, we have developed a mosquito treatment program for your Worcester-area home that provides eight treatments performed three weeks apart from April through October. Using a product that is safe around kids and pets, we ensure that you and your family can be in your backyard without constantly being swarmed by biting mosquitoes!

To learn more about our mosquito control services in Worcester, MA, and surrounding areas, please give Encon a call today!

Reduce the chance of mosquitoes making themselves at home in your Rhode Island yard using the following prevention tips:

• Use outdoor fans to keep mosquitoes away from outdoor sitting or eating areas. 
• Reduce the number of flowering plants in your yard that provide mosquitoes with their primary food source. 
• Eliminate as much standing water from your property as possible to reduce their ability to breed in your yard.
• Don’t overwater gardens.
• Keep lids on trash cans and recycling bins to keep rainwater out of them. 
• Get rid of old tires and other debris from your yard that can collect rainwater. 
• Remove resting spots from your yard by keeping the grass cut short, cutting back trees, and keeping shrubbery well-pruned.