Well, I like to think my article title was simple and to the point. Tampa Mosquitoes suck! And in more ways than one! But, we’re not here to just make jokes all day, so I’ll make it even simpler. Today, we’re going to go over the most common kinds of mosquitoes in Florida, and what to do to help control their populations in your yard.
Tampa Mosquitoes Suck! Overview
Have you ever wondered exactly how many mosquito species live in Florida? You might be surprised to hear the total tally: eighty. This means that Florida has more mosquito species than any other state in the country. Thanks, Sunshine State!
Of course, not all of those species bother people or pets, but that number is only slightly more manageable: 33. Luckily, we can narrow it down even further. Of those 33, only 13 can make people sick. So, let stick to some of those to start with.
Mosquitoes are a part of our everyday lives. They’re the cause of that natural buzzing background noise on nature walks and the annoying itchy bumps that come after. We’ve learned to live with the reality of mosquitoes, treating them as a simple nuisance. However, most people don’t realize that this reality is much more serious.
Mosquito types:
The Aedes aegypti, also known as the yellow fever mosquito, transmits its namesake disease, as well as dengue and the Zika and Chikungunya viruses. These mosquitoes feed during the day and are located statewide.
The Culex declarator is relatively new to Florida. In Trinidad and Brazil, incidents of the Turlock virus and St. Louis encephalitis have been linked to this type of mosquito. Although it’s unknown how widespread this bug is in Florida, these mosquitoes have been collected from Monroe and Indian River Counties.
The Aedes albopictus is sometimes known as an Asian tiger mosquito. This species also can transmit dengue and the Zika and Chikungunya viruses. Common hosts include people, dogs, rabbits, and other mammals. These mosquitoes also feed during the day and, like Aedes aegypti, can be found throughout Florida.
Although the Anopheles grabhamii can spread malaria, this species of mosquito is unlikely to cause many problems in the United States. People are the most common host, and this species is located in the Florida Keys, but is relatively new and not yet established enough to have a distinct feeding time.
Now, there are a few more species that are really worry inducing, but with the way more and more are coming to the state every year, it seems like just touching on a few, for now, is the way to go. I mean, imagine how many more will take over in ten years’ time if this trend isn’t stopped!
Tampa Mosquitoes Suck: Population Control
Nothing takes the fun out of an evening barbecue outdoors like a bunch of bloodthirsty mosquitoes. In addition to inflicting a painful bite, mosquitoes can transmit diseases. You can keep your local mosquito population under control by limiting their habitat on your property, and avoid their annoying bites by using the right barriers and repellents.
Breeding grounds
The best thing the layman can do to stop mosquito infestations in their immediate area is to keep mosquito populations from establishing, to begin with. To put it simply, standing water is your worst enemy.
Keep gutters clean and unclogged. Be sure your downspouts drain properly, without leaving puddles in the drainage area. You may need to reroute your downspouts or add extensions to carry water away. Ornamental ponds should be aerated to keep water moving and discourage mosquitoes from laying eggs. Alternately, stock the pond with mosquito-eating fish. In Florida, Florida Fish and Wildlife will sometimes even provide the public with the fish to populate their ponds for free or a small fee.
And honestly? Just don’t go outside during peak mosquito season at peak mosquito hours. While there’s no time of day to completely avoid all mosquitoes, just like with “mosquito season,” there are definitely times when they are more active, namely dusk and dawn.
If you really like watching the sunrise (or set), try to find a good window vantage point instead of venturing inside, unless you are fine with getting bitten.
Mosquito Diseases
Mosquitoes kill more humans than any other animal because of the dangerous diseases they transmit. Mosquitoes have killed around 700,000 to one million people a year. In the United States, we have to remain informed and vigilant about the diseases transmitted by mosquitoes, although we are extremely lucky to consider them more of a nuisance than a deadly threat.
Perhaps the most well-known mosquito-borne virus, malaria, was eradicated in most of the United States in the 1950s. With the Zika outbreak in 2015 and the impacts of climate change upon us, we should all be prepared, educated, and aware of the most common mosquito viruses and mosquito-borne illnesses.
Mosquito-borne diseases are those spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. Diseases that are spread to people by mosquitoes include Zika virus, West Nile virus, Chikungunya virus, dengue, and malaria.
Malaria is by far the most common mosquito-borne illness affecting humans. Technically, it is caused by Plasmodium parasites. According to the World Health Organization, nearly half of the world’s population is at risk of malaria. In 2015, there were roughly 212 million malaria cases and an estimated 429,000 malaria deaths. Many regions of Southeast Asia and Africa are extremely vulnerable to this mosquito population due to climate and geography. So to conclude…Tampa mosquitoes suck!
