RAP SHEET

Mosquito

Culicidae family (multiple species)

moderate CASE #MWP-0011

Responsible for more human deaths than any other animal in history. Also ruined your camping trip.

How We Take Them Down

  1. Larvicide treatment (Bti/Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis) in standing water sources
  2. Barrier spray treatment of vegetation, shrubs, and resting areas
  3. Mosquito misting system installation for ongoing automated perimeter control
  4. Source reduction: systematic identification and elimination of standing water
  5. Biological control with mosquito-eating fish in ornamental water features

Prevention Tips

  • Empty, drain, or treat any standing water on the property every 7 days
  • Clean gutters regularly — clogged gutters are prime breeding habitat
  • Change water in birdbaths, pet bowls, and ornamental features weekly
  • Keep grass short and trim dense vegetation where adults rest
  • Use EPA-registered repellents containing DEET, picaridin, or IR3535 when outdoors

Fun Facts

Only female mosquitoes bite — they need the protein in blood to develop eggs. Male mosquitoes eat nectar. One gender is significantly more popular at backyard parties.

A mosquito can detect the CO2 you exhale from up to 164 feet away. You cannot hide. You can only prepare.

Mosquitoes are considered the deadliest animal on Earth, responsible for over a million human deaths per year through disease transmission. The second-place animal isn't even close.

They have been around for over 100 million years. They have survived every mass extinction event in Earth's history. They find your citronella candle adorable.

Field Notes

The mosquito’s reputation as the world’s most dangerous animal is mathematically accurate and frequently underappreciated in temperate climates where the diseases they carry feel remote. In North America, West Nile Virus is a real and present concern, and the itching, sleepless outdoor evenings are reason enough to act. What most homeowners don’t realize is that the mosquitoes biting you in your yard almost certainly bred in your yard — in a clogged gutter, a forgotten bucket, or the saucer under a flowerpot. Effective control starts with eliminating those breeding sites and then treating the resting habitat: the shrubs, tall grass, and dense plantings where adults shelter during the heat of the day.