Mosquito

Mosquitos are unfortunately a common issue in our area, especially when we have lots of moisture. While normally a mosquito bite is a temporary irritation they do have the ability to transmit a variety of human and animal diseases which we should avoid. Mosquitoes are small primitive flies the breed near standing water. The first few stages of their life they are completely dependent on water as they grow. The entire process from egg to adult can take as little as 7 to 10 days depending on the species. Female mosquitoes are the only mosquitoes that feed on blood and usually they must have a meal prior to being able to lay eggs.

Many mosquito breeding sites can be traced to backyard containers filled with water along with ponds and other standing water. One of the easiest ways to reduce your mosquito population is to make sure to dump out toys, pots, bird feeders, etc every couple days in order to prevent mosquitoes from using it as a breeding ground. Unfortunately, this will have to be a community effort as mosquitoes can travel up to a half a mile looking for a meal. If you can’t get rid of all the standing water in your backyard, treatment of the water can prevent mosquito larvae from growing. There are a variety of products that are available to reduce the mosquito population. Mosquito foggers can be used to temporarily provide relief of mosquitos for an evening, there are also bug zappers and other mosquito trapping devices that can work to reduce the population. Use sprays with caution because they can harm beneficial insects as well. When outside try to wear long sleeves, especially early in the morning or at night and use a repellent of some kind.

Have questions? Contact our office where our Horticulture Extension Agent will assist you with questions.

Phone: (316) 321-9660

Email: callae@ksu.edu