It’s that time of the year again—mosquito season is upon us. With the arrival of summer rains, it’s important to take proactive steps to protect yourself and your home from these pesky insects.
One effective measure is to eliminate potential mosquito breeding grounds by removing standing water in and around your property. Mosquitoes have a relatively short life cycle of around seven days, and they can breed even in small amounts of water found in containers like bottles, cans, cups, buckets, hoses, planters, drains, and in certain plants such as bromeliads. Make it a habit to regularly empty any water-holding objects. If there are larger items that cannot be emptied, consider applying larvicide to prevent mosquito larvae from developing. It’s worth noting that certain mosquito species, including those that carry diseases like Zika Virus and Yellow Fever, can breed both indoors and outdoors and bite at any time of the day or night.
On evenings when mosquitoes are particularly active, protect yourself by wearing shoes, socks, long pants, and long sleeves when outdoors. Additionally, apply an insect repellent containing DEET or other approved ingredients to your skin and clothing.
Draining standing water remains the most effective method for preventing mosquito reproduction. Dr. Paula Thaqi, Director of the Florida Department of Health in Broward County, advises practicing the “drain and cover” approach. By eliminating standing water, you eliminate the breeding grounds for mosquito larvae, effectively stopping their multiplication and reducing the likelihood of being bitten.
It’s important to note that mosquito eggs laid in shallow water can hatch within a day or two. The larvae develop rapidly, transforming into pupae that quickly mature into fully grown mosquitoes. The entire life cycle, from egg to adult mosquito, takes about eight to ten days, with pupae emerging as flying mosquitoes within two to three days.
Mosquito Service Requests
Broward County Mosquito Control will consider spraying your neighborhood if you have a large number of mosquitoes.Visit www.broward.org/Mosquito/Pages/MosquitoServiceRequest.aspx
or Call 954-765-4062 to submit a request.