Standing Water in the Mosquito Life Cycle

There are multiple species of mosquitoes, all with one requirement in common. All of these species need standing water in order to go through their life cycle, which includes four stages (egg, larva, pupa, and adult). As such, if you make sure to eliminate any standing water in your surroundings, you can potentially drastically reduce the number of mosquitoes that can be a nuisance on your property.

Only female adult mosquitoes bite; a female who has just taken a blood meal has the energy to produce hundreds of eggs, which are laid in the vicinity of standing water and will float on the water. The eggs hatch to release larvae, which develop into pupae within a week to 10 days. From here, they develop into adults, the females of which can bite, and the cycle begins again. As such, eliminating standing water will kill these mosquitoes before they are able to develop into biting adults, and it will not allow current biting adults to lay their eggs near your property.

Suggestions for Removal of Standing Water

Elimination of standing water is seen to be the most effective way to combat mosquito-related problems. People can remove standing water in rain gutters or any concave surfaces that are kept outdoors, regularly change the water in any outdoor containers (such as bird baths, wading pools, and fountains), and make sure that any swimming pools are full of water that is regularly circulating and treated.

If it is too difficult to remove all of the standing water in your area, you can treat the water with Bt-i (Bacillus thuringiensis var israelensis). This will kill mosquitos before they develop into adults that will bite humans. It will be effective for up to 30 days and will only harm mosquitoes without harming humans, pets, fish, or other wild animals.

Standing water has become an issue in many places, including Glendale, Arizona. Bill Honeycutt, a Glendale resident, has expressed concerns about the standing water at Delicias Park. He has noticed that his granddaughter, Kyndahl, has gotten a large number of mosquito bites, and he believes that the amount of standing water in this park is to blame. The grass in the park is flooded with water that “actually sits for days,” according to Honeycutt..

Though eliminating standing water will not guarantee that you will never get another mosquito bite or deal with mosquitoes at all, it will almost certainly make these occurrences much less frequent.

For help with eliminating mosquitoes, contact Preventive Pest Control. We offer reliable and affordable Arizona mosquito control services. Call to schedule your free inspection!