The Best Way To Keep The Yakima County Mosquitoes At Bay

Are mosquitoes dangerous, and do mosquitoes spread disease? Yes, mosquitoes can be dangerous, and a mosquito bite always carries the risk of a mosquito-borne illness. Here's what else Yakima County homeowners should know about how mosquitoes find us, how to treat a mosquito bite and repel mosquitoes, and how pest control in Yakima County can help.

How Mosquitoes Sniff Out Human Sweat To Find Us

Mosquitoes in Yakima County find people in a couple of ways: by the scent of human sweat and by sniffing out the carbon dioxide we exhale. For this reason, people that are exercising and sweating more while they're outside can become bigger targets from mosquitoes. Not only are they producing more sweat for mosquitoes to sniff out, but they're also breathing more heavily and exhaling more carbon dioxide.

Female mosquitoes rely on human blood to nourish their eggs, and they know that humans and other living organisms emit carbon dioxide. If they can smell carbon dioxide and sweat, they know a potential meal is nearby. The more you sweat and the more carbon dioxide you exhale when you're breathing, the more obvious your presence is going to be to nearby mosquitoes.

Mosquito Bite Symptoms & Treatment

If you think you've been bitten by a mosquito, your first instinct might be to scratch the itchy bite. Unfortunately, this can make the swelling and redness even worse. After a mosquito bite, here's what you should do:

• Gently wash the bite with soap and water to prevent infection.
• Use an ice pack on the bite for ten minutes to reduce swelling and redness around the bite.
• To reduce the itching, you can mix a tablespoon of baking soda and water together until it has a paste-like consistency and gently spread it across the bite. Alternatively, there are over-the-counter antihistamine creams that can help with itching.
• Let the paste sit on the bite for ten minutes and then wash it off.
• The bite should disappear within a week, but if you begin to experience symptoms like fever, nausea, vomiting, or muscle pain, you should seek medical attention.

While it's normal to have a mild reaction to a mosquito bite, some people can have more severe allergic reactions to mosquito bites. This is called Skeeter's syndrome, and it occurs when you're allergic to the protein mosquitoes inject into your bloodstream while biting. If you have Skeeter's syndrome, you may experience symptoms such as:

• Extreme swelling
• Excessive itching
• Bruises, hives, or lesions
• Trouble breathing or swelling of the throat

If you suffer from Skeeter's syndrome, the best thing to do is to avoid mosquito bites. In some cases, you may need steroids to address these reactions.

The Best Way To Repel Mosquitoes In Yakima County

Whether you're looking to reduce mosquito activity around your property or limit the number of mosquito bites when you go out, here are some steps you can take to repel mosquitoes from you and your Yakima County property:

• Avoid wearing dark-colored clothing that attracts mosquitoes, and opt for light-colored clothing that blends in better with the horizon.
• Try to wear clothing that limits the amount of exposed skin like long pants, shirts, or even jackets while you're outside.
• Wear natural mosquito repellent scents like lavender, citronella, or lemon eucalyptus.
• Avoid going outside or exercising during times of the day when mosquito activity is the most prevalent, like dusk and dawn.
• Keep your grass cut short, deal with overgrown weeds in your yard, and trim your shrubbery and foliage to reduce mosquito harborage.
• Clear your gutters regularly and ensure they aren't directing standing water toward your house.
• Remove standing water on your property, like troughs or debris that collects water, flooded gutters, or drainage issues that could be allowing water to collect.
• If you have standing water features, like fountains or birdbaths, make sure they're cycling regularly and haven't become a mosquito breeding ground.

Mosquitoes are everywhere, but limiting factors that attract them taking steps to protect yourself from bites can go a long way toward resolving mosquito issues.

Prosite Mosquito Control Programs

While the tips above can help you prevent your property (or your skin) from becoming a hub for mosquito activity, they may not be able to reduce mosquito activity as much as you need them to. In that case, it may be time to leave it to the residential pest control professionals – like those of us at Prosite.

Not only can we reduce current mosquito activity around your property, but we'll also look for potential attractions that could lure future mosquitoes. If you've got a mosquito problem on your Yakima County property, call us at Prosite today for a free estimate or to learn more about our mosquito control programs.