Mosquito Mitigation

We quickly corrected our overflow screen blunder, and sealed the entire water system to prevent mosquitoes from entering, or leaving. What was left of the azolla could not grow quickly enough to cover the ponds at this point. I needed fish in the small ponds to eat the mosquito larvae before the adults emerged from the water! Our local pet store took two weeks to furnish healthy goldfish (they had been sick). By the time the fish were in place, it was too late. We had no idea the life cycle of a mosquito was so fast!

We added aeration stones in the ponds for the goldfish, and learned the turbulence created by the bubbles would have been all that was needed to prevent mosquito egg deposits, and to kill existing larvae. We planted lemon balm, catnip, and anise hyssop around our patio to discourage aerial attacks during cookouts. We inverted any potential water-holding yard items, like the wheelbarrow, pots, and the overflow buckets. We placed clay pot houses in shady nooks, and feeders of seed to encourage toad and bird participation in our mosquito mitigation effort.

We are still getting eaten alive by mosquitoes during the early morning and evening hours, but with the cooler fall weather, we thought our mosquito mess would soon be over. After searching the Internet to prepare for next year, I learned that mosquitoes hibernate, or have a built-in antifreeze system, and the eggs can survive up to five years before hatching. Our bug battle was not over. They would be waiting for us in just a few months, starved for blood!

With mosquitoes spreading viruses and diseases like West Nile, yellow fever, dengue, malaria, encephalitis, and heart worm and equine encephalitis (in our pets), communities have spent much money on research to devise methods to mitigate mosquito populations in their towns. The more we know, the better we can protect ourselves, and reduce the numbers of bloodsuckers in future growing seasons!

Mosquito FAQ

Species: Mosquito means "little fly" in Spanish; they are in the Culicidae family of insects; 2,700 different species known, with 50 not responding to insecticides; the species has survived since the Jurrasic Period.^[1]
Aedes aegypti biting human.jpg. Public Domain

Mosquito_larva.jpg. Public Domain Habitat: They need still waters for three, out of the four, stages of their life cycle. Food: They need nectar from flowers to live, only the females need protein (blood meal) to form eggs. Larvae eat microorganisims in the water. What
attracts
them: From 100 feet away, mosquitoes can sense movement; warmth, they use infrared; and can sense chemicals from sweat, and the carbon dioxide from our breath. They are attracted to dark colors, fair-haired/skinned people (prefer ovulating women), and they are more active during a full moon.^[2] Traits: Females are larger than males, make the high-pitched buzzing noise to attract males, and are the ones that bite to suck blood. They can travel 40 miles to feed, at speeds of 1-1/2 mph, and up to 40 feet in the air.^[2] They are active until first frost in cooler climate zones. Life
cycle: Female lay eggs in stagnant quiet (still) water–Larvae hatch from the eggs (wigglers)–Develop into pupa (tumblers)–Adult mosquitoes emerge from the pupa.

Males live only a few days after mating. Females can live a few weeks or through the winter by hibernating in moist leaves and in the ground (their bodies carry a substance like antifreeze).

The complete life cycle of a mosquito, from egg to adult, can be as little as two weeks!^[3]