Summer flooding and Wilmington, North Carolina’s subtropical heat can combine to create the perfect environment for mosquitoes. If you’ve been through a flooding event, you have a lot of work on your hands to get your home back to normal. A large part of this process is taking care of the pests the flood brings with it.
Jay Taylor Exterminating Co has some post-flood mosquito control tips.
Control Your Post-Flood Mosquito Problem
When cleaning up after flooding, don’t neglect to deal with your mosquito problem. Mosquito bites aren’t just an itchy pain; they can also spread diseases, like West Nile Virus. The best way to prevent a boom of mosquitoes on your property is to eliminate the stagnant water supplies they breed in.
Why are mosquitoes attracted to water?
Water is necessary for mosquitoes’ breeding process. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in puddles of standing water. Once they hatch, the larvae begin to develop into adults in the water.
It takes several days for mosquitoes to hatch and develop, causing the population to explode about a week after a flood. To preempt this boom, you need to act fast.
Control mosquito breeding grounds
You’ll need to be thorough when taking care of collections of stagnant water to prevent a mosquito infestation. Make sure to fill in puddles, muddy areas, and other water traps with soil.
Also make sure there’s no accumulated water in other places, like:
- Trash cans and their lids
- Gutters
- Walls or floors of your home
- Storage containers
- Tarps
Prevent bites
Some bugs come in with flood waters, so even if you eliminate all sources of standing water, there will still be more mosquitoes around. You may even have some fly over from neighboring properties. Until the swarm levels out, it is important to protect you and your family from potentially dangerous bites.
Make sure your insect screens are in good condition to protect you indoors. When you go outdoors, take the following precautions:
- Wear long sleeves and pants
- Wear DEET insect repellent
- Burn repellant coils
You can also call in Jay Taylor Exterminating Co. in Wilmington, North Carolina to control your mosquito infestation. Our team exterminates existing insects and destroys their breeding grounds.