Different Types of Mosquitoes and Their Dangers

New Jersey has a lot of wonderful things to offer residents a lot of which involve our beautiful water sources, such as beaches, lakes, and streams. However, the only downside to being near water is mosquitoes. If you live near any of this area of interest, or you frequent wooded terrain, then you’re likely to encounter many different types of mosquitoes.

Unfortunately, even if you don’t live near a body of water, you can still get bitten by these little vampires. The warm, summer weather brings the mosquitoes out in droves. Even a puddle after a rain can be an attraction for these pests who love stagnant water. If you have a decorative bird bath, potted plants, or areas where water loves to sit, then you’re likely to have a big issue with these insects. While you think they’re just a nuisance that you have to learn to deal with, you must understand how dangerous these bugs are to you.

All different types of mosquitoes can carry microbes that are dangerous to humans. One bite can be all it takes to give you a disease that will affect you for life. Two of the most serious diseases caused by these insects are the West Nile and Zika viruses and Malaria.

When you think about how these little pests can carry more deadly diseases than other bugs, then you can see how serious the issue is and when compared to all the insects that bite, sting, or leave their mark on your skin, the mosquito is more deadly than just about all of them.

You might find that surprising since the tick is known to bring Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and bees can bring about deadly allergic reactions, but most folks recover from both of those. So, before you think that the mosquito is just a nuisance, you need to fully understand how serious an encounter is. Thankfully, there are things you can do to help prevent and lessen the population around your home.

Mosquito season starts at different points around the country, but in New Jersey, you start seeing many different types of mosquitoes around April of each year. They continue to be a problem until the cold weather in October kills them off. If the temperature is unusually warm, they can spring to life as soon as March.

Although you shouldn’t count them totally out until November (if October is unseasonably warm). It’s easy to see that they hang around most of the year, which makes your preventive measures even more important. Preventive measures are your best bet, but they won’t work for all the mosquitoes that frequent this region.

Some of these bugs are harmless, and they’re not too hard to get rid of either, but some are a serious health risk that need to be eradicated.

It’s hard to pinpoint the exact mosquito you’re dealing with as there are dozens of different types of mosquitoes that call this state home. Sadly, there is no completely safe species—they all carry some type of health risk. Did you know that they can easily transfer the virus from one person to the other?

If you’re infected with West Nile and they bite you, then the next person they bite will also become infected. This is how they transfer the disease all around, which is extremely dangerous and honestly terrifying. Think of how many mosquito bites you’ve already had this year, it’s quite an ominous thought.

Before you can treat or prevent mosquitoes, you need to know the specific types that you deal with in The Garden State. Here are the most common species of mosquitoes and their preferences.

1. White Footed Woods Mosquito

These insects aren’t as harmful as some other species, but they do tend to be a bit more aggressive than some. Their bites are quite painful, and they tend to have multiple generations during one season.

Not only is this insect found in this state, but they’re found all over the country as well as in South America. Though there have been some cases where a bite from this species has brought West Nile or other viruses, it’s highly unlikely.

When you’re outside fishing, camping, or hunting near the woods, make sure to wear pants that come to your ankles as well as long sleeved shirts. These pests are most active at dusk and dawn, so you should avoid these times.

2. Asian Tiger

The Asian tiger mosquito is one type of mosquito that is very abundant in this state. They love the wet and warm weather of the summers here. You can identify them easily by their appearance. They have a solid black body with white stripes. They’re quite small measuring at only two-tenths of an inch.

While they may be small, their danger level is great. They love stagnant water to lay their eggs on, and they carry diseases like encephalitis, West Nile, and even Zika virus. Sadly, there are no medications that can cure Zika, and it’s been known to cause serious birth defects in unborn children.

It’s essential to protect yourself from this pest by getting rid of any standing water around your home. Also, if you’re going to spend time outdoors, make sure you wear protective clothing.

3. Cattail Mosquitoes

They tend to be more active during the evening hours, and are often found in forests. Females tend to be a bit larger than the males and can be the most aggressive towards humans.

Using traditional insecticides hasn’t always been effective in eradicating the problem with cattail mosquitoes. Rather, scientists have found that controlling cattail growth proves to be the best option. Having excessive overgrowth of cattails is just asking for trouble.

People love to jump to conclusions, so there are a great deal of misconceptions out there about all of these different types of mosquitoes. First and foremost, mosquitoes do love blood, but they don’t need it to survive. They can live with or without touching humans or pets.

Mosquitoes actually feed on nectar.

So why do they suck your blood? Simple, because its an essential ingredient for their reproduction. The females need to feed on animal blood for successful fertilization. In fact, male mosquitoes don’t even drink blood and can’t bite you.

Once a female lays a batch of eggs, she will go in search of more blood to keep the fertility process going. Interestingly enough, she lives to reproduce and only has a two-week lifespan.

The last common misconception that most people believe is that the crane fly is a mosquito. Folks often jump and become afraid when they see this large fly hovering around windows and doors. The crane fly cannot even bite you.

While they might look like it, they are NOT any kind of mosquito and are even great to have around. Their nickname is the mosquito hawk, because they feed on mosquitoes.

You can see how dangerous the mosquito is to your wellbeing, so it’s important to be proactive. First, while bird baths and koi ponds are nice, they do pose a risk. Getting rid of anything that can collect standing water and be a breeding ground for these insects is a great start.

Second, if you notice a large number of mosquitoes around your property, it’s best to call us to help. Our team will spray the area to eradicate the population and lessen the risks to your health. We can kill mosquitoes in all stages of development, which is essential for your safety.

There’s no need to take unnecessary risks with any of these mosquito species. Our team can help keep you and your home safe. Call us today to discuss how we can assist.

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