Mosquito Joe of East Atlanta – Athens is proud to offer the most effective barrier treatments in the industry to rid your yard of mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks. However, we strive to provide our customers with the tools and knowledge they need to keep those pesky party-crashers out of their yards. To achieve this, we provide educational resources that will enable you to enjoy your outdoor spaces even more. So, whether you are a social butterfly who hosts many summer barbecues or want to provide an itch-free yard for your children and pets, these outdoor tips will help you get started!
Understanding the life cycle of outdoor pests such as mosquitoes is the first step in combating them. Below is information on the typical life cycle of mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas, as well as how to get to them before they get to you.
The Life Cycle of a Mosquito
Female mosquitoes lay hundreds of eggs every few days directly on or near water during their lifetime. Water is needed for the eggs to hatch, which typically happens within 48 hours.
The larvae will emerge once they hatch. Larvae are referred to as “rollers” because of how they appear while swimming; this is also known as the infant stage. Larvae live in the water and come to the surface to breathe, molting their skin four times and growing larger with each molt. The larvae become pupae after four stages of molting.
Resting before they make their grand entrance, the pupae is considered the teenage stage of the life cycle and the non-feeding era. Pupae still live in the water and continue to swim around. They are lighter than water so they live at the surface, and must occasionally take oxygen through breathing tubes called, “trumpets.” During this stage, the adult mosquito begins to develop, which can take up to four days dependent upon the temperature of the water.
Adult mosquitoes will rest on the water with two concerns; mating and feeding. Once the body is completely dry and hardened, and the wings have fully opened, they are able to fly. Males locate females by the sound of their wings. Once they mate, males live three to five days and females live considerably longer, upwards of one to two months.
There are four stages to a tick’s life cycle: egg, larvae, nymph, and adult, taking up to three years to fully develop. Throughout these years, most ticks feed on three different hosts.
Upon hatching, they become larvae and the larvae feeds on the first host, which is typically a bird or a rodent, for several days before they detach and fall back on the ground.
The larvae then transform into nymphs, which become active in the spring and begin to look for their second host – a rodent, pet or human and feed, repeating the process of detachment and molting.
Once the tick enters the final stage of its life cycle, which occurs during the fall, both male and female ticks will look to feed on its third host, usually a rodent, deer, dog, cat, or human. Once the tick is well fed it detaches, falls to the ground and the males die. Female ticks, however, live through the winter and lay eggs in the spring before dying, completing the life cycle of a female tick.
Fleas undergo 4 stages in their life cycle: eggs, larval, pupal and adult.
They lay between four to eight eggs which fall to the ground and hatch within one to twelve days.
The larval stage lasts from four to eighteen days, and then the flea will enter the pupal stage.
The pupal stage can last anywhere from three days to one year.
Once the flea emerges from the pupal stage they become adults, and begin searching for food. Fleas will likely become adults more rapidly when in warmer temperatures and high humidity.
Mosquito bites are unpleasant, leaving you itchy and irritated for days. However, mosquitoes and other biting insects can be more than just a nuisance; they can also be fatal. Disease cases transmitted by infected mosquitos, ticks, and fleas have tripled in the last 13 years, totaling more than 640,000 cases since 2004. Mosquito Joe of East Atlanta-Athens wants everyone to enjoy the outdoors no matter where they live or travel, so start educating yourself on these illnesses, where they are prevalent, and how you can protect yourself, your family, and pets from them.
Fleas find hosts and those hosts are warm-blooded animals. Naturally they are usually dogs and cats, but they can also be opossums, rats, and other rodents.
According to the ASPCA, since fleas can consume 15 times their own body weight in blood, they can cause anemia and a significant amount of blood loss over time. They can even cause tapeworm.
A female flea can lay 2,000 eggs, and fleas can bite up to 400 times a day, so you should have a flea prevention plan in place to keep your home and pets protected.
The most common diseases carried by fleas are Murine Typhus, Mycoplasma Haemofelis, Tapeworms, and Cat Scratch Disease. For more information on the listed diseases visit the CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/fleas/index.html.
Eliminate Fleas in your yard to protect your home and pets
The best line of defense is to prevent fleas from establishing a residence in your yard. Keep your grass cut low and bushes trimmed back, so they have fewer places to hide. Do not allow feral pets and wildlife such as opossums, raccoons, and stray cats onto your property, as they may carry fleas and other parasites. Follow your veterinarian’s advice and treat your pets with a monthly flea preventative, brush their fur before bringing them inside from the yard, and shave long-haired animals in the summer. The final step is to maintain a clean home by vacuuming carpets and throw rugs at least once per week. Mosquito Joe barrier treatments can also target fleas or provide a professional defense against the diseases carried by fleas.
The Life Cycle of a Flea
The life cycle of a flea consists of four stages: eggs, larva, pupa, and adult. They lay four to eight eggs that drop to the ground and hatch in one to twelve days. The larval stage lasts between four and eighteen days and is followed by the pupal stage. When fleas emerge from their pupal stage, they become adults and begin their search for food. It is important to note that fleas will likely mature much faster in conditions of high temperature and humidity.
Mosquito Joe can help!
Let Mosquito Joe of East Atlanta – Athens be your first line of defense against these disease-carrying pests. We offer mosquito control services that kill fleas and ticks and keep them from coming back. Contact us today or fill out a form to request a quote!
How to Combat Ticks
With growing evidence that ticks can survive cold temperatures, these pests are becoming a year-round concern. As a result, even in the fall and winter months, it is crucial to understand the dangers posed by ticks and the most effective removal techniques.
Know where ticks hide. Ticks live in tall grass and wooded areas. Hunting, gardening or spending time in your backyard are all activities where you, your family and your pets could pick up ticks.
Dress to avoid ticks. Wearing long sleeves and long pants, tucking socks into boots and wearing light-colored clothing can help prevent tick bites.
Utilize Mosquito Joe barrier treatments as an added layer of defense. Regular barrier treatments from Mosquito Joe eliminate ticks and give you and your family peace of mind.
Ticks can be as small as the tip of a pencil. They are usually hidden and difficult to find because they like to hide in warm places. Once you’ve returned indoors, check these areas for any remaining ticks.
Under the arms
In and around ears
Inside the belly button
Back of the knees
In and around the hair
Between legs
Around the waist
Be sure to examine your outdoor gear and pets for ticks that may have latched on while you were outside. You can remove any attached ticks by placing clothing in the dryer for 10 minutes. Additionally, showering within two hours of being outside will help wash off unattached ticks and reduces the risk of contracting a tick-borne disease.
Don’t panic! Grab a pair of tweezers with a fine tip. This will be the best tool to remove the small insect.
Pull upward using steady, even pressure. Using this motion will ensure that the mouth-parts of the tick don’t break off and remain in the skin. If this does happen, use the fine-tipped tweezers to remove the mouth-parts.
Clean the bite. Use rubbing alcohol or soap and water to clean your hands, the infected area and your tweezers.
Dispose of the tick. Place the tick in alcohol, put it in a sealed container, wrap it in tape or flush it down the toilet. Don’t crush the tick between your fingers as it could still transmit disease.
Following up: check on the bite. If you develop a rash, fever or any of the other symptoms associated with tick-borne disease, seek medical assistance. Tell your doctor about your recent tick bite, when the bite occurred and where you acquired the bite.
Know the Symptoms of Tick-borne Illness
Ticks are responsible for the transmission of numerous diseases. Knowing which ticks are common in your area can help you better understand the risks of various diseases. Most tick-borne illnesses cause fever, chills, aches, and pains. Many of the diseases, however, have different and distinct rashes. Knowing what to look for can assist you in detecting early symptoms of Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI), or tularemia.
Call Mosquito Joe of East Atlanta – Athens today to add an extra layer of protection to your outdoor space and enjoy a bite-free yard! We offer special services that protect against ticks and other pests, so let us help you protect yourself and your family all year long.
Mosquito Facts You Should Be Aware Of:
Mosquitoes date back over 100 million years.
There are over 3,500 species of mosquitoes!
The journey from egg to adulthood (biting!) is about 4-7 days. They just can’t wait to start bugging us!
Only female mosquitoes bite us; they need the protein from blood to lay their eggs.
Speaking of eggs, a mosquito lays 100-300 eggs at a time, and they average between 1,000 to 3,000 in their lifetime!
A few kinds of mosquitoes will fly only a few yards from their breeding ground for a meal. More typically adults will fly a mile or two to feed.
The mosquito is actually the deadliest animal on earth, killing 725,000 humans each year.
Why is getting rid of mosquitoes important?
Mosquitoes carry diseases like Zika Virus, West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE).
Most people have the typical reaction to a mosquito bite and get the telltale itchy red bump, but some people who are actually allergic have what is known as “Skeeter Syndrome,” which can cause blistering rashes, bruises, and swelling.
We all know how annoying mosquitoes can be when you’re trying to enjoy your backyard and you have to keep swatting them away!
With the assistance of Mosquito Joe of East Atlanta – Athens, you can avoid mosquito problems on your property this season by implementing the following practices:
In Georgia, mosquito season typically lasts from March to October. We recommend that you use caution when going outside during this time. Did you know that mosquitoes can lay as many as 300 eggs in a single bottle cap containing water? Follow these simple tips and tricks to repel mosquitoes and other pests:
Regularly empty ponds, bird baths, fountains, plant pots, buckets, or anywhere else that water may gather.
Clean out gutters to avoid standing water – examine them for clots and damage that would cause water to collect.
Drill holes in tire swings, trash cans, or recycling bins so water drains out.
Keep swimming pools clean, properly circulated and filtered.
Repair leaky outdoor faucets.
Cut grass and shrubs short, as adult mosquitoes gather to rest in shady, cool areas.
Keep your yard weed-free and avoid overgrown vegetation.
The most effective way to combat mosquitoes is to use a professional service like ours. Our certified technicians can identify problem areas and potential breeding grounds on your property during treatment and provide ongoing defense.
