This mosquito loves Tucson
Mosquito Activity: Mosquitoes like it warm and wet but the mosquito Aedes aegypti, thinks Tucson desert climate is a tropical paradise. Unlike other mosquito species, this one survives in very small amounts of water anywhere water can accumulate during our monsoon season. Some prime breeding grounds are water in a cup, in a watering can, in dishes under potted plants, or in trash left around the yard. But more threatening than a nasty bite, this mosquito transmits dengue fever.
“This particular mosquito is a significant medical threat to Tucson,” says Henry Hagedorn, a professor of entomology at the University of Arizona. “It lives around humans, breeds in our back yards, and in our homes. Controlling the mosquito is a matter of controlling the backyard breeding sites.” The Aedes aegypti isn’t considered a threat to public health in Arizona, because both the mosquito and the virus must be present. So far, Tucson has a lot of A. aegypti, but no dengue fever.
Ideal conditions for Tucson Mosquito Activity
Check out the current daily conditions for Tucson’s mosquito activity at Accuweather.com.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/tucson-az/85716/mosquito-activity-weather/346936
How do we control mosquito activity?
To reduce the mosquito population, you need to reduce the areas of stagnant water around the property, which can be very difficult! Conquistador Pest Control uses a specialized mosquito trap that is US-EPA registered. The trap lures and contaminates Aedes mosquitoes with special slow killing larvicide, which the mosquito spreads to other breeding sites. This means the mosquito larvae are not only killed inside the trap but also in the surrounding areas, it also kills the adult mosquito within a few days to prevent her from transmitting deadly viruses.
Check out this video on the mosquito trap.
How does the Mosquito trap work?
The mosquito trap works by attracting mosquitoes with water that smells delicious to them. The female mosquito lands on a special gauze which contains larvicide, the larvicide attaches to the mosquito slowly killing it.
The mosquito will lay her eggs in the trap, after a few days the eggs will hatch and become larvae. The smell of the larvae will attract more mosquitoes who will lay their eggs in the trap as well. The chemicals in the water will kill the larvae before they become grown adults.
The now contaminated mosquito will leave and lay more eggs, when she goes to another stagnant water site, the larvicide on her body is left to contaminate the new breading site. All mosquito eggs will be contaminated, in addition any previously laid eggs at that site will be killed as well. In this way, the trap kills the mosquitoes and their offspring so that populations are reduced and disease transmission risks are lowered significantly.
Benefits
- Easy to Use
- Uses the mosquito itself to kill other mosquitoes.
- Lab and field data show that it can be used to control dengue mosquitoes
"I can use my backyard again after 15 years. I haven't had one mosquito bite since I got the trap. Before I was open season for mosquitoes."
If you’re concerned about Mosquito Activity around your home, request a free inspection from Conquistador Pest & Termite. A mosquito trap is included in the Conquer All Program. Next time you have an outdoor party, your guests will thank you!
