Breeding Requirement:
The favorable breeding spot for mosquitoes varies from species to species but most of them require stagnant water body to lay eggs. At a time, a female can lays dozens of eggs in a still water body. Eggs typically hatch after 1 to 2 days of laying depending on the species of the mosquitoes. After hatching, the mosquito larvae take usually 10-14 days before turning into adult mosquitoes.
There are several measures that you can adopt to make sure that your home does not become a breeding place for the mosquitoes. A comprehensive guide is given below.
1. Don't Over-water Indoor Plants:
Indoor plants can serve as a safe heaven for many mosquitoes if there is stagnant water in the pots due to over-watering. Water your plants only when the soil has completely dried and in small quantities. If you use dish under your plants to collect water, make sure they dry-up too within few minutes. If not, then remove the dish and get rid of excess water.
2. Inspect Your Lawn
Check your lawn for puddles or depressed soil. Make sure the soil in your lawn is well drained. Check your lawn pavings and pots for collection of water.
3. Inspect Your Home:
Take out time to inspect your entire house for possible breeding sights and water bodies. Even a small collection of stagnant water is enough for them to breed. Check your basement for any water pipe leaks or incoming rain water. Similarly check your balconies for proper drainage. The best time to check for water entrance points is during the rain. If you find holes or points through which water is dripping inside, then seal them using foam sheet, silicone gel or any other method suitable.
4. Check Drain Pipes:
Drain pipes can become clogged over time due to dirt and other materials and hence it results in still water. Check for clogged drain pipes on rooftops and basement. There are many anti-clogging products available in the market. Choose which suits best according to situation.
5. Get Rid Of Junk In Your Yard:
A lot of junk in your yard can collect water when it rains. Empty bottles, cans, old tires, broken flower pots can all collect enough water to support mosquito reproduction. Get rid of the junk as soon as you can. Also approach with caution as it may already be a home to hundreds of mosquitoes. Use mosquito killing sprays to get rid of them quickly or repel them off instantly.
Now let us take a look at some of the methods that can help us trim down the number of mosquitoes and eventually eliminate them completely from our homes.
1. UV Mosquito Lamps:
These are one of the most common used devices to kill mosquitoes and they are really effective. It uses the fact that mosquitoes are attracted towards Ultraviolet light (UV). Around these UV lamps, there are electrically energized wires that kill the mosquitoes instantly upon contact. There are many types available in them. Some are used by hanging them from the walls or ceilings. Others are simply installed on a flat stable surface such as a table. Make sure this device remains out of reach for small children as there is risk of shock if the child touches it. The suggestion would be to buy those UV lamps which can be hung from walls. Use 2-3 throughout your house for more effective results. Ideal locations for these are TV lounge, bedrooms and dining rooms.
2. Mosquito Repellent Liquid Vaporizer
This is another plug-in electrical device. It has two parts, one is bottle containing liquid mosquito repellent and the other part is the vaporizer that evaporates the liquid slowly over time. The liquid repels off mosquitoes and interferes with their searching ability. Usually this product is safe to use but it may give allergies to some individuals. Avoid being in close proximity of this device when it is turned on. The liquid in the bottle can last a month or two depending on the number of hours used per day. Don't use near beds while sleeping and check for other precautions on the product pack.
3. Mosquito Coils
There are mosquito coils available that use aromatic chemicals and smoke to repel mosquitoes away. However, they should not be used indoors or in closed spaces with little or no ventilation at all. They can be used effectively outdoors or in places with good ventilation. A coil usually burns for an hour or two depending upon its size. The smoke generated can cause allergies to some individuals. See the product pack for more information.
4. Mosquito Repellent Lotions
Many different brands offer mosquito repellent lotions that can be worn on exposed body parts such as arms, legs etc. They contain a strong odor that repels the mosquitoes. For some individuals the odor be can too much. Generally, this is the most used mosquito repelling product when going for camping, hiking etc. It might require reapplying after some time if it's effectiveness decreases.
5. Mosquito Spray
Mosquito sprays can instantly kill them upon contact. However, great care needs to be taken when spraying. First of all, never stand in front of the person spraying or in that particular direction. Do not over-do it. Press the nozzle for a second or two in a particular direction. Spray in lawns, potted plants and any other place where you see their gathering. It does give strong odor and some people might be allergic to it. The best time to spray in the house is when you plan to go out on a family outing for 2-3 hours. Leave some ventilation to keep the air circulating.
6. Bed Nets
These are mosquito bed nets that are installed directly above a bed. The mesh of the net is so small that mosquitoes cannot come inside it. You can sleep peaceful inside these nets. Just make sure that there are not any mosquitoes already inside the net because they will remain in unless forced outside.
These were some of the effective methods that can help you overcome a mosquito infestation. Keep in mind that you should try to get rid these blood-sucking insects as soon as you can because they serve as carriers and transmitters of many diseases.
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