Florida mosquitoes aren’t as big as helicopters, though it does feel like they fly in squadrons. Mosquitoes are a slender long-legged fly with aquatic larvae that are attracted to the scent of human skin and blood. The bite may transmit a number of serious diseases. If mosquitoes in your yard are driving you crazy, call us today to see how we can help eliminate the little bloodsuckers.

There are currently 80 species of mosquitoes known to occur or have been identified from various collections in Florida, more than any other state. Of these, 33 species can cause pest problems for people and/or domestic animals in all or parts of the state. Thirteen species are capable of transmitting pathogens that cause disease in humans and animals. They all vary to some extent in their individual preferences for types of blood meals, egg laying sites, time of day they will fly, temperature at which they are most active, and seasonality.

Our lab at the Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory has developed an electronic database of Florida mosquitoes and general information about their distribution, medical importance, and habitats. The mosquitoes that carry Zika virus, dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever are more common across the United States than previously believed. Updated maps for 2016 show the Aedes aegypti mosquito in 38 counties where it wasn’t found before, a 21 percent increase, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.

States especially affected include California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Florida and other Gulf states, the mid-Atlantic states, as well as big cities such as Chicago, where the mosquitoes keep getting brought back. Mosquitoes spread all sorts of viruses, including West Nile virus and St. Louis encephalitis. Different species spread different viruses. Zika is known to cause profound birth defects in babies born to women infected while they are pregnant.

Protect your family and pets with a comprehensive pest management solution, contact us today!