Now that the weather has cooled down, and winter is quickly approaching, you probably aren’t thinking about mosquitoes any more. Mosquitoes typically don’t bite when the temperature drops below about 50 degrees, so chances are good that they haven’t been annoying you lately. If the mosquitoes don’t seem to be around any more, where did they go? How do they survive the winter? And should you be doing something now to lessen problems next year?
There are many different species of mosquitoes, and they handle the winter differently depending on the species. Some species overwinter as adults. They go into hibernation during the coldest months and can stay in that state for 6-8 months. They will often enter this hibernation before the first frost and live dormant in hollow logs or burrows until warmer weather.
Other species of mosquitoes die in the fall, but have eggs which can suspend their development during the cold months and begin to develop again when the temperatures rise in the Spring. The most dangerous mosquitoes, classified as aedes, do this form of overwintering. They are responsible for most of the dangerous diseases like: Zika, West Nile, Dengue, Yellow Fever, etc. As the days start getting shorter in the fall and temperatures go down, the surviving adult females will lay their eggs in standing water before dying. The eggs will then wait through the winter until temperatures rise again in the spring and increased rainfall rehydrates them. This means that infected females can lay infected eggs in the Fall, which will then produce infected mosquitoes the next Spring.
So, even if mosquitoes aren’t bothering you right now, there are still precautions that you need to take this fall and winter to prevent problems next spring. Mosquitoes need standing water to breed, although they only need about ½ an inch of it. Any mosquito eggs that were laid before the first frost will be overwintering in standing water. That means that all year round, it is important to remove that water from your property. Make sure that you empty and put away buckets, pots, cans, and any other container that will collect water. Check to ensure that your gutters aren’t clogged, allowing water to backup. Also make sure that any outdoor ponds are aerated or stocked with fish to help control the mosquito population. By doing these simple things this fall, you can help to make a dent in the mosquito population that will hatch next spring.
At Six Brothers Pest Control, we want to help keep your home and family safe and pest-free. We are a family owned and operated company with over 30 years in the pest control business. We take pride in quality service, excellent customer care, and unmatched safety. We want to earn your business and trust. We are your mosquito treatment specialists, and can also help with Kansas City spider control, rodent control, or any other pests you may encounter. Give Six Brothers a call today.
