Mosquitoes are some of the more annoying and agitating pests you’ll come across this summer. Muggy weather and damp conditions bring these little bloodsuckers out to play. For better or for worse, they’re a part of our lives.
Here are four facts about mosquitoes to keep in mind the next time you get bit:
1. Mosquitoes may bite some people more than others.
If you’ve ever felt like you get bitten more than your friends or family members, you may be right. Research has found that mosquitoes are attracted to genetic factors such as blood type and body odor and seemingly random factors, including the color shirt you’re wearing, pregnancy, and alcohol consumption.
2. Mosquitoes spread diseases.
Interestingly, experts in the United States thought the spread of West Nile Virus was caused by birds. It wasn’t until 2010 that research indicated that mosquitoes (that can travel approximately 2.5 miles every day) transmitted the diseases cross-country.
Different species carry different diseases, but mosquitoes have been known to carry:
- Zika virus
- Dengue virus
- Chikungunya virus
- Avian Malaria
- West Nile fever
- St. Louis encephalitis
- Lymphatic filariasis
- And more
Mosquitoes are estimated to cause 1 million deaths per year due to their transmission of these diseases.
3. Mosquitoes have musical preferences.
Okay, so maybe it’s not an exact preference, but a 2019 study found that the biting and mating habits of the Aedes aegypti mosquito were disrupted when exposed to the EDM hit “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites” by Skrillex.
4. Citronella candles aren’t effective mosquito-repellant.
While citronella as an essential oil is a mosquito deterrent, the amount that’s put out by a candle isn’t really enough to make much of a difference in the mosquito populations around your home. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists only four chemicals it considers to be effective against mosquitoes:
- DEET
- Oil of lemon eucalyptus
- Picaridin
- IR3535
Got mosquitoes? Save your summer and contact the pest control experts at Enviro-Tech Pest Services! Contact our team online or by phone today: (800) 836-3089