MOSQUITO BIOLOGY ------- WEST NILE VIRUS

MOSQUITO CONTROL PROGRAM -------- PREVENTATIVE MEASURES

MOSQUITO MACHINES ------ THE GREAT TEXAS MOSQUITO FESTIVAL

Mosquitoes are of the order Diptera, or flies. They are found worldwide from the tropics to the Artic. Mosquitoes  undergo complete metamorphosis, egg, larvae (lower left), pupae (lower right), and adult. They are important to humans in the adult stage, all other stages occur in water. There are about three thousand species of mosquitoes worldwide, approximately 170 species in North America, and  55 species in Texas.  Breeding sites, biting preferences, time of day they bite, and ability to transmit diseases, vary with the species.

Breeding occurs in any area there is standing water such as stagnant ponds, discarded tires, tree stumps, etc. The more rainfall per season, the more numerous the mosquitoes, as Texans are well aware after Allison, then another flooding in August in 2001. With the recent mild winters and excessive rainfalls the possibility of a troublesome mosquito season is more likely. This will create a higher possibility of disease carrying mosquitoes.  The C.D.C. (center for disease control) anticipates West Nile Virus to occur in Texas in 2002.

Complete development from egg to adult varies with species and temperature, but usually takes from 10-14 days. Some species like the Anopheles lay their eggs individually on the surface of water, while others like the Culex lay them in a raft formation.  The Aedes lay their eggs on the edge or a water body which may not hatch if in a drought situation and lay dormant until rain, but generally mosquito eggs will hatch in 48 hours.  Once the eggs hatch into larvae or wigglers they begin feeding on algae and other organic matter in the water.  The larvae develop through four molts and pupate.  The pupae do not feed but are mobile spending much of their time near the water surface to breathe, and after one to three days emerge as an adult mosquitoes.

    Adult mosquitoes mate 24-48 hours after emergence. The male dies after six or seven days, the female, depending on the species, lives from two weeks to 3 months during the summer. Once she has had a blood meal she will lay her first and largest brood of 50-500 eggs.  Subsequent broods will be smaller but there will be 8-10 broods.  "If we consider an average brood of 200 eggs per brood (of which half would be female) and that mosquitoes can complete its development in less than two weeks, we can obtain in only five generations some 20 million mosquitoes.  If we can get 20 million offspring from only one female, what could thousands of females give raise to?" ( Mallis 1997)

    Mosquitoes and the diseases they carry have had a significant effect on history. Napoleon, for example, agreed to the Louisiana Purchase only after his forces had to abandon Haiti in 1803 after a majority of his forces contacted yellow fever. Napoleon estimated that at any given time one out of eight of his soldiers were sick or dying from some disease or another.

    The Spanish American War had significantly more American casualties due to yellow fever and malaria than bullets.  Had Walter Reed not discovered that mosquitoes were the vector for these diseases the aftermath of the war as well as the building of the Panama canal would have been substantially different.  

larvicide: Using a biological environmentally safe bacteria that kills only mosquito larvae or an I.G.R. (insect growth regulator) It is possible to control mosquitoes before they become adults. Through careful inspection of breeding sites and timely applications of a larvicide can achieve up to  a ninety percent control. Mosquitoes are however able to fly up to a mile in search of blood. It is therefore imperative in a successful larvicide program to be able to have access to all potential breeding sites in a given area.  Used on your property, Altosid or Mosquito Dunks will stop mosquitoes from breeding and combined with an adulticide or mosquito machine give you excellent control. See our product page.

    For those of you who have ponds on your property there are mosquito fish available for purchase through various agricultural departments and fish hatcheries.  They are called the Gambusia.  They grow 50 mm long and eat an enormous number of mosquito larvae.  They are used throughout Florida, released by state and county mosquito commissions.  For more information e-mail me at info@scapest.com.

Mosquito Control Program

ADULTICIDE: Adult mosquito control becomes necessary when nuisance factors become excessive. This usually follows periods of heavy rainfall which cause new mosquito broods to hatch. During these periods, ULV misting with a *botanical insecticide, fogging with a botanical or chemical, and or spraying with a residual pyrethrum is necessary to reduce the population. This can be done for individual homes as well as in recreational areas where mosquitoes tend to congregate, and will give excellent results for up to a month.

    *Pyrethrum was originally derived from the chrysanthemum plant thus a true botanical.  It has been synthesized and there are now numerous chemical pyrethrums. There is a shortage worldwide of chrysanthemums (growers can make more money growing illicit drugs) and the botanical form is expensive and hard to get. The chemical forms are as safe or safer than the botanical but if someone tells you they are using an organic fogging material they are most likely stretching the truth.  This is especially true with underground irrigation type foggers.

The insecticides used are safe for animals and humans. Fogging should be done either early morning or early evening when mosquitoes are at their worst.

REPELLENTS:  There are some repellents on the market that can be sprayed on lawns and around houses that do repel mosquitoes.  They are not chemicals and do not kill mosquitoes, just chase them away temporarily.  They usually contain naphthalene (mothballs) or garlic.  These products can be used prior to a party or other short time goals you may have but don't expect a mosquito free environment.  The comic to the left has nothing to do with either of these products but none the less appropriate.

MECHANICAL: Proper drainage will go a long way for mosquito control.  The state of Florida spends more of their mosquito control budget on drainage than they do on applications.  This makes perfect sense as they are planning on long term control rather than instant gratification.  Unfortunately, mechanical control is something that needs to be done on a County or State level for the most part.

Preventive Measures

Some mosquito problems can be eliminated by local residents. This could possibly reduce the number of costly applications during the season, especially in a cooperative effort. The preventative measures are as follows:

Mosquito Machines

The Great Mosquito Festival

The mosquitoes in Brazoria County have become famous.  They have a festival in Clute dedicated to them. (Clute for those of you unfamiliar with geography is just outside of Richwood, near Surfside, not far from Sweeny.)  It is held in the last week or so in July and should not be missed if you can help it.  Here are some pictures to help convince everyone of the social significance of attending.

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