July 14, 2022
How to Prepare For Mosquito Season
While mosquitoes are a problem year-round in tropical Australia, the spring and summer seasons in Geelong and other areas south of the tropics are synonymous with the pest.
Tophe heat, humidity, barbecues, loads of outdoor activities and fun in the sun are healthy and wonderful, but it’s also the perfect environment for mosquitos. So it’s best to prepare for mosquito season early.
Australia is home to over 300 mosquito species. And climate change is already bringing extreme weather conditions, including higher than average humidity and rainfall.
These changes could mean the boundaries between tropical areas and more temperate southern regions could be moving, bringing longer mosquito seasons with them.
Be Prepared For Mosquitoes
If you haven’t prepared, and mosquitoes decide to gate crash your barbecue or other outdoor activities (and you’ve forgotten the mosquito repellent), the fun can turn nasty. You and your guests could end up covered in itchy bites, and if you’re allergic, even worse. Mosquitoes and other insects carry diseases, so protect your friends and family by preparing for mosquito season early.
So how do you prepare for a bad mosquito season? For a start, call on the professional services offered by Acacia Pest Control Geelong. It’s better to be ahead of the swarm rather than having to smother yourself with insect repellents every time you leave the house.
La Niña and Increased Mosquito Numbers
Since Australia’s weather during this spring and summer has been influenced by a La Niña weather event, it means lots of rain (as opposed to an El Niño which brings droughts). So, it’s the perfect climate for mosquitoes to breed.
You’d be forgiven for thinking more rain would mean lower temperatures. But the increased cloud cover can act as an insulator causing warmer than average minimum temperatures across eastern and northern Australia during a La Niña weather pattern(1). Combine this with the increased moisture, and you have a perfect recipe for a bad mosquito season in Geelong.
Prepare Early For Mosquito Season
Whether you have a kids’ playground, trampoline or love to entertain in outdoor areas or under your roofed patio, you need to make it mosquito-free by making sure there’s no brackish, stagnant, salt or fresh water lying about.
If you keep your yard free from mosquitoes, there’s less chance of them breeding and inflicting nasty bites and passing on any of the many diseases they carry. Call Acacia Pest Control for a service that’s second to none.
Perfect Mosquito Breeding Areas
The mosquito is an insect pest that breeds in damp soil or water, no matter whether it’s in disused bird baths, children’s toys, plant pots, tin cans or containers of any size.
So, especially before the warm weather, be sure to empty these items regularly or remove them altogether to prevent and help control the mosquito pests from laying eggs in the water.
The mosquito pests hatch in 48 hours and will be out in force looking for blood about 10 days after “king tides” in coastal wetlands or after major rain periods.
Commercial Properties and Mosquito Activity
If your commercial area includes al fresco dining, for instance, you also need to make sure there is no stagnant water that can become a mosquito breeding site, either in a wet area of your yard or commercial property or in standing water. Fallen leaves in gutters in houses and commercial roofs and drains also can retain moisture where mosquitoes can breed.
The best way to prepare for mosquito season and prevent mosquitoes from invading your yard to breed in spring and summer is to call on the professional services of Acacia Pest Control.
We can send out a pest control expert to professionally kill the mosquitoes. They will eradicate mosquito eggs and wrigglers, remove anything that will attract mosquitoes, apply treatments and take steps to control future infestations.
How To Avoid and Treat Mosquito Bites
When outdoors in an area where mosquitoes and midges are prevalent, wear protective clothing and apply insect repellent. To lessen your chance of being bitten, stay indoors in the early morning and at dusk.
If you do get bitten, the bite site can become itchy and swollen, but the worst thing you can do is scratch the bites because you could introduce a bacterial infection to the area.
Most mosquito bites can be treated by washing the bite area with warm, soapy water, rinsing, drying and applying an antiseptic. Cold packs can help ease any local swelling or pain. Ask your pharmacist or GP for the best treatment options available if your bites are severely itchy.
Serious anaphylactic reactions to mozzie bites are rare. However, some mosquito species can spread severe diseases in Australia, which include:
- Barmah Forest virus
- Dengue fever
- Murray Valley encephalitis
- Ross River virus
Consult your GP or health care provider if you develop flu-like symptoms like headaches, fever, chills, joint and muscle soreness or stiffness, depression, fatigue and a rash.
Why You Need to Call Acacia Pest Control Before the Mosquito Season
In autumn or winter, we recommend the professional services of our Acacia Pest Control mosquito specialists, who offer regular pest inspections of your yard and home or commercial property.
Our exterminators also provide treatments to prepare your environment for the mosquito season. Preparation and treatments are essential, rather than waiting until you have a problem, so call us for a service to rid your environment of mosquitoes.
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