Nothing can ruin a sunny afternoon quite like the incessant buzzing of mosquitoes. More than just obnoxious, they can bite you repeatedly, resulting in several days of itching and discomfort. Alabama summers provide the perfect opportunity to spend time outdoors, but many homeowners are kept from doing so by countless, pesky mosquitoes. Since knowledge is power, here is some quick information to help you win the fight against this nuisance.
What Types of Mosquitoes Are in Alabama?
Thanks to the state's abundance of natural resources, Alabama is home to roughly 60 different mosquito species. Today, the Asian tiger mosquito is the most prevalent variety. Most comfortable in highly populated, suburban areas, this mosquito species is particularly bothersome, and they can thrive on small amounts of water. In addition to the Asian tiger mosquito, the Japanese encephalitis mosquito and southern house mosquito are also common to the area and are known to carry diseases. …show more content…
Requiring water to lay their eggs, mosquitoes are always looking for the ideal combination of warm weather and standing water. Preferring older water, they search for puddles and other wet areas that have been stagnant for about a week. With this in mind, items like old tires, open containers and ponds are magnets for mosquitoes, especially after a day of rain.
How Can I Prevent an Infestation?
Since female mosquitoes can lay up to 300 eggs at a time, preventing an infestation is much easier than trying to get rid of one. With that said, here are a few easy ways that you can help protect your home against a mosquito infestation:
Eliminate any areas of standing water
Clean and refill birdbaths at least once a week
Stock decorative pools with fish that prey on mosquito larvae
Unclog and clean your gutters
Empty swimming pools when not in use
Remove or cover natural water containers such as hollow
What Types of Mosquitoes Are in Alabama?
Thanks to the state's abundance of natural resources, Alabama is home to roughly 60 different mosquito species. Today, the Asian tiger mosquito is the most prevalent variety. Most comfortable in highly populated, suburban areas, this mosquito species is particularly bothersome, and they can thrive on small amounts of water. In addition to the Asian tiger mosquito, the Japanese encephalitis mosquito and southern house mosquito are also common to the area and are known to carry diseases. …show more content…
Requiring water to lay their eggs, mosquitoes are always looking for the ideal combination of warm weather and standing water. Preferring older water, they search for puddles and other wet areas that have been stagnant for about a week. With this in mind, items like old tires, open containers and ponds are magnets for mosquitoes, especially after a day of rain.
How Can I Prevent an Infestation?
Since female mosquitoes can lay up to 300 eggs at a time, preventing an infestation is much easier than trying to get rid of one. With that said, here are a few easy ways that you can help protect your home against a mosquito infestation:
Eliminate any areas of standing water
Clean and refill birdbaths at least once a week
Stock decorative pools with fish that prey on mosquito larvae
Unclog and clean your gutters
Empty swimming pools when not in use
Remove or cover natural water containers such as hollow