Mosquitoes & Dangerous Disease: What Everyone In Phoenix Ought To Know

Knowledge is power. That’s one statement that’s incredibly hard to argue with. In the case of mosquitoes, however, knowledge will simply keep you safe. There are many misconceptions about mosquitoes, but Phoenix residents who understand the dangers of mosquitoes will have the advantage when it comes to avoiding health issues as they enjoy outdoor fun on their properties and around our beautiful state.

Mosquitoes: Deadliest Insects On The Planet?

These small, pesky flyers may be one of the most annoying parts of an outdoor adventure in Phoenix, but they’re actually a much larger threat than that. While it can be frustrating to deal with mosquitoes ruining your picnic or barbecue, they are actually downright dangerous as well.   Only female mosquitoes suck on the blood of their victims for food. This includes any warm-blooded creatures, especially livestock. If the victim of a mosquito bite has any sort of disease or parasite, the mosquito can pass that parasite or disease to its next victim. To make matters worse, female mosquitoes actually numb your skin so that you don’t feel the tube sticking into your bloodstream (allowing them to feed longer). The longer they feed, the more likely you are to incur a disease. That’s why one in every three hundred mosquito bites can transmit a dangerous disease, and it’s why mosquitoes are responsible for killing over 2.5 million people, worldwide, every year.   In the United States, malaria (one of the most commonly transmitted mosquito-borne illnesses) is usually not fatal because of the quality of our healthcare. However, many mosquitoes in the United States that are currently being studied show signs of transmitting many other diseases at startling rates. These include Chikungunya, Zika virus, Dengue, West Nile virus, yellow fever, and more, many of which can prove fatal for adults and children.

Prevention On And Off Your Property

While mosquito dangers are real, you can take steps to avoid interacting with them both on and off of your property. As you’re out and about, enjoying outdoor excursions, or enjoying your own backyard, keep in mind the things that attract mosquitoes the most in order to avoid them. Here are some tips on mosquito behavior that could help:

• Mosquitoes are mostly active at dawn and dusk, so you should consider avoiding these times of the day for outdoor activities.

• They are very attracted to pregnant women and people with type-O blood.

• These flying pests will almost always attack people wearing dark colors more than those wearing light colors.

• Avoiding the use of heavily scented shampoos/perfumes can help limit mosquito attraction to yourself.

Now, while these tips can help you off of your property, you’ll still want to make your backyard a mosquito-free environment. After all, you should be able to wear dark-colored clothing, do activities at dawn/dusk, or be pregnant in your own backyard without any health risks. If you want to get mosquitoes out of your backyard, you can start by limiting the standing water that they’ll breed in. Make sure to dump the water out of things like:

• Flowerpots

• Wheelbarrows

• Buckets

• Lawn ornaments

However, if they breed once, the larvae can remain even once the water is dumped out. That’s why dumping the water isn’t enough. The only way to break the breeding cycle is to treat the water with professional solutions. If you want guaranteed protection from the world’s deadliest insects, make the right choice. For the best form of mosquito control, contact the pros at Green Home Pest Control. We provide season-long mosquito protection or we can treat your property one time for an upcoming outdoor event.