Have you ever noticed that mosquitoes like some people more than others? Maybe you’re one of those people who attracts bugs everywhere you go. Being a bug magnet can be annoying, but some bugs, like mosquitoes, can be harmful to your health.
Mosquitoes are tiny, blood-sucking insects that tend to gather around polluted, standing water, like clogged gutters, storm drains, birdbaths, and unmaintained rain catchment barrels.
If you’re concerned about the health consequences associated with mosquitos, you’re not paranoid – they do pose a serious risk to human and animal health. For instance, they can transmit diseases, so it’s important to get rid of mosquitoes fast.
Do you have a mosquito problem? Don’t wait to get rid of them. Here’s how mosquitoes can harm your health.
Mosquitoes can transmit more than 30 diseases
The potential for spreading disease is the best reason to get rid of mosquitos. These tiny insects can transmit more than 30 diseases, including:
- West Nile Virus
- St. Louis encephalitis virus
- Yellow fever
- Zika fever
- Chikungunya
- Dengue fever
- Malaria
Mosquitos in different areas transmit different diseases, but many of those diseases can be serious. In fact, some experts say mosquitoes are perhaps the most dangerous animal in the world simply because the diseases they carry kill millions of people every year.
The biggest problem with mosquito-borne diseases is that they’re hard to prevent. Mosquitoes are highly efficient disease transmitters since they inject saliva into the body with every bite. It’s the injection of saliva that easily transmits the disease, as opposed to a fly bite where no saliva is injected.
If you have any existing illnesses that make you more susceptible to illness, like a suppressed immune system, you’ll want to control mosquitoes before they become a problem because you don’t want to get bitten.
Mosquito bites itch like crazy
Most people have experienced the inconvenience of a mosquito bite that won’t stop itching. Sometimes there are creams and lotions that will stop the itch, but as soon as your clothing brushes over the bite, it starts itching again. However, if you keep scratching your bites, you’ll break the skin as it’s trying to heal, and that will leave you prone to infection.
The intense itching comes in part from the histamine released into the bloodstream, which occurs while your body is producing inflammation. Your body is designed to produce inflammation to isolate and control infection, and it’s just part of the healing process. However, prolonged inflammation is uncomfortable.
If mosquito bite cream or paste doesn’t seem to work for you, try something new and more natural. Many people find that turmeric relieves itchy mosquito bites.
Three tips to control mosquitoes
Since mosquitoes breed quickly and in large numbers, it’s critical to control them as soon as you see the first signs. It’s equally important to take actions that prevent them from breeding in the first place.
- Eliminate standing water
Eliminating standing water is the single most important prevention method. Mosquitoes love breeding in standing water, especially water that has been polluted, like the water found in old tires.
Check your property for areas that may collect pools of water and flip things over or move them into a shed. For instance, if you have rain catchment barrels in your yard, tip them on their sides when not in use. If you have birdbaths, change the water regularly and scrub the bottom of the water bowl periodically to prevent contamination.
2. Use an insecticide
If mosquitoes have already hatched, use an insecticide to spray your bushes, foliage, grass, and weeds. If you’re concerned about harming other insects, you can get products that won’t harm the bees, for example.
A residual insecticide will coat everything you spray, kill existing mosquitoes, and prevent additional mosquitoes from gathering there.
- Keep your yard well-maintained
If there are dark, damp, wet areas, that’s where mosquitos will breed. They also love hanging out in shaded areas in tall weeds and bushes. Keeping your yard well-maintained is one of the best ways to prevent mosquitoes from hatching and gathering.
Keep your weeds cut, mow your grass, and trim your bushes on a regular basis. You might still need to spray insecticide, but even so, a well-maintained yard is easier to treat.
Don’t wait to get rid of mosquitos
Don’t wait to control a mosquito problem. Ideally, you’ll want to tackle the problem through prevention first. However, prevention isn’t always perfect. If you see eggs, newly hatched mosquitoes, or even adults, get rid of them quickly.
The health risks are too great to put off this important task.