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Pestgon FactSheet
“ If they fly they die…if they crawl they fall”
MOSQUITOS: (Order Diptera)
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Description:
Mosquitoes can be distinguished
easily from flies by their long legs and piercing proboscis (blood-sucking
mouth part). In overall size,
Southern
California mosquitoes
range from one quarter, to nearly one an inch in length. Large veins are
visible in the wings. When flying close by, their wings can be heard making
a characteristic
buzzing— a high-pitched whining sound. Wiggle-tails found in standing
water are mosquito larvae that soon become biting adults. There are over
150 species
of mosquitoes in the U.S. 9 are common in So Cal.
Biology:
Mosquitoes breed in variety of water habitat, marshes, standing water, rain
pools, flood water, irrigation puddles and all sorts of containerized water
left by
humans. Pestgon, Inc. has noted that old tires left to collect water are
a major source of mosquito habitat that breed large nuisance populations.
Most mosquitoes
readily bite humans and some are diseases carriers.West
Nile Virus (WNV) is a well-known example and it is now prevalent in Southern
California. So mosquitoes
are not just a nuisance they, are potentially dangerous to your health. West
Nile virus is a virus mainly transmitted to people through the bite of an
infected mosquito. Mosquitoes transmit the virus after becoming infected
by feeding on
the blood of birds, which carry the virus. Most people infected with the
virus have no symptoms or they have flu-like. Sometimes though, the virus
can cause
severe illness, resulting in hospitalization and even death so it is important
to know the symptoms of illness related to infection and how to minimize
your risk especially, since the WNV is present in our environment.
Economic Impact:
Especially, in sensitive outdoor areas of the many commercial facilities
that Pestgon services, the presence of mosquitoes due to negligence could
become,
not just fearful nuisance, but a serious liability. Obviously mosquito infestations
quickly become a public relations liability as well. No one wants to spray
himself or herself with an insect repellant to avoid mosquito bites.
Management Methods:
Long-term elimination of mosquitoes requires an Integrated Pest Management
approach beginning with a thorough inspection and elimination of the breeding
sites where
possible. Pestgon, Inc., has a highly trained staff of mosquito experts with
the know-how to handle any mosquito job, from backyard parties, outdoor
rest or food areas to native, riparian, mosquito habitat. Depending on the
circumstances, Pestgon, Inc. may use a combination of mosquito larvicide,
low volume
fogging, abatement traps and surface water management techniques.
Additional Links:
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/mosquitoes.html