The Most Effective Mosquito Control Solution For Your Houston Yard
Mosquitoes are nuisance pests that are infamous for the itchy bites they give to their prey. They are rather sneaky pests and can bite you wherever they find access to your skin. Their main food source is human blood, which puts you at risk of getting bitten.
It’s important to be knowledgeable about these vector pests to get you started in your mosquito control journey. The first step is detection, and that means knowing what mosquitoes look like generally.
Mosquitoes are usually about 1/2 inch in length, with thin, elongated bodies and two wings. Scales cover their body and wing veins, and they have three pairs of long legs and feathery antennae. They are grayish-silver in color with bluish-green scales and veins.
Mosquitoes are distinguishable by their elongated “mouth” sticking out from their heads. It’s called a proboscis and measures around three to four times longer than the mosquito’s head. They use it to pierce the skin of their hosts and draw blood out of their bodies.
If you are experiencing mosquito activity around your yard and want to get on top of it, the best thing you can do is secure professional pest control in Houston. The team at Modern Pest Control is here to assist you with all your mosquito control and prevention needs.
The Role Mosquitoes Play In Our Ecosystem
When it comes to mosquito activity, most of us just associate them with the nasty bites they give us and the itching and scratching that follows. However, there’s much more to them than that. Mosquitoes are widespread pests that live on almost every continent and in all kinds of habitats, and they serve essential functions in numerous ecosystems.
Out of the more than 3,500 mosquito species, only around 400 of them bite people and are capable of transmitting diseases like malaria, Zika virus, and West Nile virus. In fact, most mosquito species don’t feed on humans at all!
The role mosquitoes play in our ecosystem is huge, as they are key pollinators for all kinds of plant species. Aside from their essential role in the pollination process, there are a variety of other ecological benefits associated with mosquitoes, such as:
- Mosquitoes are a vital part of the food chain, providing food for birds and fish.
- Adult mosquitoes are a major food source for animals like bats, lizards, frogs, and spiders.
- Without mosquitoes, hundreds of species of fish, birds, and other animals would have to change their diet, losing out on a significant source of food.
- Mosquito larvae and eggs provide food for organisms that live in standing water. Various aquatic organisms that live in areas like rivers, lakes, and streams feed on mosquito eggs and larvae for sustenance. Mosquito larvae and eggs are also a huge food source for many amphibians, turtles, and other insects like dragonflies.
- Without the dependable food source of mosquitoes, many animal populations would be in great danger. If a species dies out and goes extinct, it can have serious consequences all throughout the food chain.
- Mosquito swarms sometimes change the migration patterns of certain species who will avoid areas where mosquitoes swarm. This gives certain environments and plants a chance to grow and not be destroyed by populations of animals that would otherwise be traveling through the area.
- Mosquito larvae act as filter feeders in aquatic ecosystems like lakes, streams, rivers, etc. The larvae eat microorganisms and decaying leaves, which help clean out these environments and filter them for the health and benefit of the other organisms that live there.
While mosquitoes undoubtedly have many ecological benefits, that doesn’t mean you should overlook the dangers. Read on to discover why mosquitoes are considered so dangerous here in Houston.
Why Mosquitoes Are Considered So Dangerous
Most of us associate mosquitoes with the itchiness of their bite, but they’re more dangerous than many of us think. We all know that mosquitoes bite, but those bites go deeper than the nuisance itching on the surface. What you really need to keep in mind is the fact that they inject their saliva into as when they bite.
When an infected mosquito bites you, you’re put at risk for contracting a disease, and that can be a scary notion to consider. As vector pests, mosquitoes can transmit a long list of illnesses through their bite. Some of the common mosquito-borne diseases include chikungunya, dengue fever, encephalitis, malaria, tularemia, West Nile virus, yellow fever, Zika virus, and many others.
These diseases can be quite serious, which is why it’s so important to minimize mosquito activity on and around your property. The best form of mosquito protection in Houston is reliable pest control services from a team of highly regarded experts.
Modern Pest Control is here to take care of all your mosquito control needs. After we conduct a thorough inspection of the property to identify the nature of your mosquito problems, we promise to eliminate all mosquito nests and conducive conditions to prevent the population from growing. Our ultimate goal is to bring you the dependable coverage you deserve. Contact us to learn more.
How To Remove Factors That Attract Mosquitoes To Your Yard
Considering the genuine dangers of mosquitoes, it makes sense why many homeowners want to get proactive about their mosquito control efforts. One of the main things to keep in mind about a mosquito infestation is what brings them to your yard in the first place.
There are a variety of attractants and conducive conditions around your yard that draw mosquitoes to your property. Mosquitoes prefer cool, damp areas, so the vegetation on your property is the perfect location. They hang out around shrubs and bushes, feed on plant nectar, and inhabit tall grass and garden plants. That’s one reason why your yard is so attractive to them.
Seeing as mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water, addressing all sources of standing water throughout your yard is essential. Be mindful of water collection in sandboxes, wagons, toys, downspouts, and gutters. Perhaps you have an overturned tire in your yard, an old bowl of pet water, or plant pots that have gathered water after a rainfall – wherever water collects is an area that is conducive to mosquitoes breeding. Most of a mosquito's lifecycle occurs in water, which is why they find water sources and lay their eggs in them.
Putting standing water sources aside, you should know that mosquitoes are also attracted to the skin of their potential food source. Human skin produces chemicals that draw in mosquitoes. We produce carbon dioxide through our body heat and exhalation, and mosquitoes track these chemicals to find their food source.
The idea of a tiny insect feeding on your blood is undoubtedly upsetting, and many homeowners decide to take matters into their own hands. You can try citronella candles, tiki torches, and all kinds of sprays and pesticides, but the truth is, none of these methods are reliable.
People try all kinds of D.I.Y. prevention methods and at-home remedies, but these temporary solutions fail to treat the source of the problem. D.I.Y. treatments don’t address the conducive conditions around your yard, meaning they’re ineffective in the long term.
If you want to effectively protect yourself and your loved ones from the potential dangers of mosquito activity, the best thing you can do is to be proactive in your mosquito control efforts. You need to do everything you can to minimize your exposure to mosquitoes and reduce your chances of getting bitten and experiencing an infestation on your property. Here are helpful tips to prevent mosquito activity around your Houston property:
- Apply insect repellent when spending time outside to minimize your chances of getting a bite.
- Direct water away from the house by maintaining functional gutters and downspouts
- Get rid of any sources of standing water around the property, including buckets, tires, toys, pet water bowls, etc.
- Keep windows and doors closed, when possible, to reduce the number of mosquitoes flying into your home.
- Maintain well-trimmed vegetation and keep the grass short to reduce mosquito harborage and nesting spots.
- Repair damaged or ripped screens for all windows and doors to prevent entry.
- Try to wear long pants and long sleeves when possible and use permethrin or DEET-treated clothing.
These are all great ways to reduce your susceptibility to mosquito activity. However, none of them are entirely dependable on their own. At the end of the day, the most effective mosquito control solutions for your Houston yard are regularly scheduled services from the pest professionals.
Here at Modern Pest Control, we offer comprehensive mosquito control and prevention services to provide you with year-round protection from these dangerous vector pests. Not only does professional service thoroughly eliminate the problem, but it gives you long-lasting protection you can trust.
Professional pest control services guarantee the complete elimination of all adult mosquitoes, as well as the thousands of eggs around your property. The experts also make the necessary structural and property modifications to help you keep mosquito populations at bay all throughout the year.
The Best Mosquito Control Solution For Your Yard
When it comes to eliminating mosquito populations around your home, it’s normal to want to take control of the situation on your own. However, it’s best to leave your mosquito control needs to a team of experienced pest professionals. The most reliable, effective, and safe way to handle mosquito control is to contact us today.
Here at Modern Pest Control, we fully dedicate ourselves to bringing you quality professional mosquito treatments you can trust. We’re here to give you the long-term, guaranteed results you’ve been looking for, guaranteed. Since 1952, we’ve provided complete mosquito control solutions to homes in the greater Houston, TX area.
Our philosophy is to deliver prompt, personalized pest control our customers can count on without a doubt. We use the latest pest control strategies and most advanced methods to tackle your flea infestation from the inside out. Our mosquito control process includes the following steps:
- Detailed Inspection - Our team provides a thorough walk-through and inspection of your home's interior and exterior. We will determine areas where mosquitoes are active, as well as any conducive conditions and harborage spots throughout the property. After that, we develop a customized treatment strategy to tackle your mosquito infestation from the inside out.
- Customized Treatments - Our team of trusted pest professionals treats your yard thoroughly to effectively eliminate all mosquito activity on the premises. We perform targeted yard treatments to eradicate all adult mosquitoes as well as any eggs they’ve laid around the property.
- Ongoing Follow-Up - We offer quarterly pest control services to make sure your home is protected from mosquito infestation all throughout the year. Our service guarantee means 100% satisfaction and lasting results. If pests return between service visits, we’ll return to treat your home at no extra cost.
Whatever the state of your mosquito problem, we are here to help you. Our ultimate goal is to bring you lasting coverage from mosquito populations and the consequences of infestation. All our treatments are fairly priced and developed to cater to your needs. Here are some additional reasons why Modern Pest Control is your best choice for professional mosquito solutions:
- Professionals train our staff from Food Industry Sanitation Auditors (FISA) and the American Institute of Baking (AIB), giving us a high level of expertise for pest issues in food handling facilities.
- Our team works alongside organizations such as BOMA (Building Owners and Managers Association), the Greater Houston Restaurant Association, and the U.S. Green Building Council.
- We have over 70 years of industry experience, and as a Quality Pro Service provider, we bring a high level of professionalism and expertise to every job we do.
- The Texas Department of Agriculture licenses us, and all of our pest management professionals undergo rigorous training so we can provide you with the very best.
Call us today to address all of your mosquito control and prevention needs. Dealing with these pests can be a real headache; the good news is you don’t have to deal with them alone. Your local pest professionals are here to take care of the problem. Reach out to Modern Pest Control today for comprehensive mosquito control and prevention services that are customized to solve your mosquito problems, guaranteed.