The concept of vampires has always been a strange one. For most people, a creature or person needing blood to survive just doesn’t seem right. Despite how confusing this may seem, we all logically know it is something that happens around us every day. Ticks drink blood, leeches drink blood, and fleas drink blood, it is normal, for them. Even pests like mosquitoes regularly consume blood -- or do they? What if we told you mosquitoes do not eat blood? In fact, they could live their entire adult lives happy and healthy without a single drop. Does this confuse you? If so, let us explain. Here is why mosquitoes in Dallas do and do not need blood.
Not All Mosquitoes Draw Blood
Before we talk about anything else, there is something you should know. Male mosquitoes do not have the ability to bite people and draw blood. Only females have this capability. Females are also larger than males which isn’t saying much because all mosquitoes weigh less than 1/15,000 of an ounce.
What Do Mosquitoes Eat?
Mosquitoes are a lot like wasps and bees in that they love sweets. These annoying pests will buzz around properties and consume things like nectar, honeydew, and plant sap. These sugary substances give mosquitoes the energy they need to fly around, draw blood, and lay eggs.
Why Do Female Mosquitoes Need Blood?
Adult mosquitoes do not need blood to survive, but their babies do. Female mosquitoes draw blood from people and animals and use it to provide nutrients for their eggs. They lay these eggs inside sources of stagnant water such as birdbaths, ornate pools, ponds, and areas where rainwater has built up. These eggs take roughly five days to hatch into pupae. Pupae then take another two to three days to fully develop into capable adult mosquitoes.
When Is Mosquito Season?
In more northern parts of the United States mosquito season only lasts through the late spring, summer, and early fall months. This is because mosquitoes by nature cannot survive in the cold. Here in Dallas, temperatures never drop low enough to push these pests into hibernation. This means mosquito season never really ends.
Some Ways To Deter Mosquitoes
Your control over mosquitoes is partly limited to where you spend your time outdoors. If you only go outside on your property, there are many ways to reduce your chances of being bitten, such as eliminating sources of water build-up, changing the water inside birdbaths and ornate pools once every four days, and installing fans around covered outdoor lounging areas. Professional mosquito control is another great option that will take your protection to the next level.
If you spend a lot of your time away from your property, the only thing you can do to avoid mosquitoes is to make yourself less attractive to these pests. This involves applying bug spray to your clothing and skin, wearing light-colored garments, avoiding swamps and marshlands, and trying to stay indoors during dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.
How Professional Mosquito Control Works
With professional mosquito control, you can protect any section of land from dangerous mosquitoes. This includes your own property or an outdoor event center like a park. At All-Safe Pest & Termite, our mosquito abatement plans come in two forms, single-service visits, and year-round options. Which you choose depends on the level of protection you are looking for. Since we have environmentally friendly options and a staff of dedicated and friendly technicians, you can be certain we are your best choice for the job at hand.
Call us today to schedule your Dallas property for a detailed service visit.