Here in the South, you’ve probably heard we have a mosquito problem. Well, unfortunately, it’s true. In fact, it’s not just true. It’s probably worse than you think! That’s why today we’re going to touch on Mosquitoes in Florida, and what you can do to make your experience in the state just a little less buzzy and keep these guys away!
Mosquitoes in Florida: Why are there so many mosquitoes in Florida?
Well, let’s start off with the why of all this. Why are there so many mosquitoes in Florida? The simple answer is this: ecology. We all love the sunny, warm weather in Florida. We love the beaches, the swamps, and the nature. But you know who else does? That’s right, mosquitoes! So when you’re out there feeling the warm sun on your skin with a light breeze, the pests are doing the same. They’ll ride that warm current straight to some exposed skin and take a bite out of you.
And there’s reason number two you’ll find so many mosquitoes in Florida. You! In all my years of living in this state, I’ve noticed that it gets way worse near large population centers that are in central Florida. Tampa, New Port Richey, Brandon, etc. These places are experiencing massive population booms while already having ecology that supports mosquito populations. So when you have an endless food supply, you’ll never need to stop breeding if you’re a mosquito.
And when you start adding people to the mix, it just gets worse. The sunshine state is home to over twenty million humans these days. And do you know what a human is to a mosquito? A walking, talking buffet! So you combine those massive numbers that already exist with the thousand new residents a day, I think you can probably understand why there’s so many mosquitoes down here in the southlands.
mosquito control tips
Let’s take a second and touch on some control tips for mosquitoes in Florida. What I’d start with is what everyone should start with, and that’s exclusion. Make sure to protect yourself from bites by keeping them from getting in your house in the first place! Make sure that all entryways have rubber stoppers on the bottom that are in good condition. Also, repair and maintain fly screens on all of your windows, doors, vents, and chimneys. These are very small insects, so even a hard-to-see hole could be big enough for them to fly into and get a blood meal from you!
Remove stagnant water from in and around your home after that. If you have stagnant water in your home, hopefully you’re aware of what a problem that could be. Fix any leaky pipes or unsanitary habits that can lead to these and mosquitoes won’t be able to breed inside. As for the outside, make sure to regularly replace and clean the water in any bird feeders or water features. Don’t leave anything that can collect water out on your yard either. This can be anything like old tires, pales, buckets, or watering cans. Mosquitoes only need a very small amount of water to reproduce in, so make sure to make it as hard as possible for them as you can.
This also goes for vases and pet water bowls. Obviously the water bowls should be replaced every day. Also check that you’re not overwatering any plants in vases, and let the roots dry out nicely in between each water application to avoid creating small, mosquito-harboring puddles.
Mosquitoes in Florida: What is the Zika virus?
If you’ve been in Florida for a while, you’ve probably heard of the Zika virus. Well, before 2015 you may not have. Because before then, it was mostly restricted to Asian and Oceania. But since the invasive Aedes Aegpyti mosquito made it’s way over to Florida it has since become our problem.
People infected with Zika will not have symptoms in many cases, or mild symptoms in most others. Symptoms of Zika virus include fever, rash, joint pain, conjunctivitis (red eyes), muscle pain and headache. Severe disease requiring hospitalization is uncommon, and deaths are rare. Rare complications may include Guillain-Barré syndrome (neurologic abnormalities) following a Zika virus infection.
The most common way people get Zika is through the bite of an infected mosquito belonging to the species I mentioned above. Another insect vector of this diseases is the Asian tiger mosquito, which has not yet transferred the disease to humans but is known to carry the virus. And once a person has Zika, it can be spread to others through sexual contact.
A mother can pass Zika virus to her fetus during pregnancy. A mother already infected with Zika virus can pass on the virus to her newborn around the time of birth, but this is rare. To date, there are no reports of infants getting Zika virus through breast milk. Because of the benefits of breastfeeding, mothers are encouraged to breastfeed even in areas
where Zika virus is found.
Insectfree’s Mosquito Smack Service
As you can see, there’s plenty of reasons to worry about an abundance of mosquitoes on your property. From zika, to malaria, to a host of other diseases. And due to the outdoor nature of this pest, it’s not one that most people can deal with on their own. This goes double if you live next to any type of body of water in Florida.
