A female adult mosquito can live for a month or two, laying eggs every two to three days, between 100 and 300 eggs each time.
Also, they travel several kilometres for food - blood, so, I'm going out on a limb, but you might need to scale up your efforts if you're attempting to reduce the local population.
There weren't so many around when I lived just a couple kilometers away and I dont live near water neither.
Also 100 - 300 sounds terrifying, glad their numbers are more or less stable through summer
They generally don't breed in large bodies of water where the water is flowing. They moatly breed in the little stagnant pools of water that collect in other spots because of poor drainage or things like tires, empty pots, and other trash being left out in the rain. There exist these little pellets that poison those stagnant puddles for the mosquito, but not your pets. That and proper drainage around your house will do wonders to reduce the excess population. Pointing a fan to blow out at any open window can help too, but proper screens (with a fine enough mesh) would help more. Mosquitoes don't like a stiff breeze.
I have zappers indoors and outdoors, and it sounds like a rave
It is my understanding that the light used on mosquitos don't attract them. For zappers to work on mosquitos, they usually make use of a refillable odor to attract them enough to zzzzzapp! ๐จ๐ฆโก๐
If you average it out over the year it's probably a few million per day.
(I work in mosquito control)
Sad question... In killing mosquitos, are you also killing other insects?
We don't use aerial spraying, which can cause harm to other insects.
We only use a bacteria that's put in standing water which only harms mosquitos in their larval form (or biting black flies) and is totally safe for pretty much everything else since it needs very specific biological conditions for it to become toxic, which is only found in the stomachs of mosquitos and black flies.
That's super interesting. How common is the profession? Could we thank you guys for the relatively mosquito free summers?
Depends on the location. Mosquito control is done all over, but I'm only somewhat familiar with north america.
It's pretty widespread in the United States where it's done by government employees at the municipal and county level I believe. They do use a fair bit of aerial spraying in certain areas though as I understand since there is a high concern of certain diseases being spread in certain areas.
In Canada it's mostly done by private companies (ironic I know) with a few areas being done by the government, and it's mostly done just because of nuisance and negative economic effects from outdoor workers and tourism so aerial spraying of chemicals is pretty much not done at all except for one major city which is phasing it out.
If you live anywhere in north America that's nearby a river, coast, swampland, or significant snowmelt into he spring, you may have a local mosquito control program.
I never even knew the control programs existed until I came across the job postings and got hired, but they are fairly wide spread.
You and your work are amazing :)
I can't even imagine the sheer satisfaction that comes from eradicating millions of mosquitoes per day.
Where do you live? Is it a land that doesn't do screens? In Florida, of you don't have screens the wildlife just comes inside.
I kill 2 or 3 in the time that I'm outside. It would be more but the sun is trying to kill us right now so I stay inside with air conditioning.
the wildlife
Now Im imagining owls, bats, bears, alligators all getting stuck on a screen
Oh god, the pictures in my head, LMAO.
"Ma! There's a danged ole black bear stuck to the back porch screen!"
"Well poke it loose with the broom!"
You sleep late thinking the sun is low. Nope. Gator spread eagle on your bedroom window.
"God. Damnit. Not again"
Wife rolls over in bed,
"Stop bitching and go get the gator spray."
"We used it all!"
"Then why didn't you buy more?!"
"I put it on our shopping list. You forgot last time you went to Winn Dixie."
Comedy gold. Thanks
Lizards. Lizards everywhere.
When I was visiting for my honeymoon, they were so thick you literally could not avoid stepping on them. We tried for the first day or two, but when there's not much visible sidewalk between them, eventually you let lizard jesus protect his own.
Screens are rare and the house is rented. Mosquitos and the occasional moth are the only wildlife that come in through the window
You can get nets for your windows that are temporary. No need to add an extra screen door or something. Well worth the money (not much).
Unpopular opinion time, but hardly any. They leave me alone for the most part since I got old and all the bugs are gone and I just live and let live unless they're also around a less... oddly benevolent and susceptible... family member.
As counterpoint, I grew up as an outdoorsy person in northern BC, I know skeeters and have probably killed more than many downvoters could imagine except Manitobans.
Always struck me as odd how thick they get in cold climates. I've seen videos from Siberia where the guys in the field are wearing the mosquito version of bee keeper suits.
Meanwhile, in Florida, I have a couple of swampy acres out in the boonies and mosquitos aren't bad at all. They're worse in my front yard than out there.
You should install some screens.
Not enough.
Mosquitos can breed in a bottle cap full of rain water, there's almost certainly enough somewhere
No standing water around my place, either, but they come from somewhere anyway. The neighbors, perhaps.
I can't actually remember the last time I even saw a mosquito.
Where do you live? Can I move there? ๐ญ
They exist here. I just live inner city and never see them.
As someone who spent virtually the entirety of his life in a inner city in the North East, of North America we have lots of mosquitoes here. Which parts of the world do you come from? Some place with a good mosquito control department I assume?
I can't really explain it. I was as surprised as anyone when I realized I can't remember the last time I saw a mosquito.
It's Calgary, Canada. The climate is fairly arid, but there are definitely mosquitos in the area. I just haven't seen one in a long time, despite being outside for at least a couple of hours every day.
I suspect if I walked along the river more I'd see some though.
Lucky you!
I have a net on my bedroom window, so barely any.
Hardly any, but I just use central AC so my windows are pretty much never opened
I work in pest control so thousands.
If you want to use what pros use look into the in2care mosquito bucket system. It works fantastic and it's what most companies use.
I tried looking this up to buy for myself but you technically need a license to purchase the bucket and refills. Unless you know of a place I can buy one without that, you'll just end up paying an exorbitant markup for essentially a set it and forget it product
as many as I can.
Depending on the day, anywhere from 1 or 2 to several dozen
All of them. They absorb my depression and the kill themselves
None. The bastards have been known to eat me alive, but it just seems like a fools errand, as if I'm going to make a dent in their population.
Besides I'm morally opposed to killing living beings, so the act seems rather cruel unless I'm in mortal danger.
0 as I live in arid climate. But I crush lots of ants in my kitchen daily.
I bought a Thermacell device on Amazon which, shockingly enough, actually works to keep mosquitoes away. It has a pretty much instantaneous effect, too.
I have a liquid repellent but it doesn't work well. Feels like 1) by the time the mosquitos are in its range they're already inside and can't figure out how to go back out so they hide in other rooms 2) some mosquitos don't care at all and keep harassing either way
I can't recall the last time I saw a mosquito which is odd. I'm in Nova Scotia, Canada and they are usually around in the summer. We have plenty of flies, wasps, hornets, spiders so it's not too cold for the mosquitoes.
I don't remember the last time I killed one. They're not as attracted to me and I usually wear long sleeves and sometimes a deterrent spray anyways. So I guess none.
Though I might kill out of reflex, I also happen to agree with the Dalai Lama on the action if there is no threat, plus they're pollinators.
Mosquitoes went down when daddy long legs set up shop all over my patio. We have a symbiotic relationship now.
Not too keen on the black widows, though...
For what it's worth, black widows aren't nearly as dangerous as their reputation would suggest.
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