Dealing with mosquitoes in the Los Angeles County area can be a real pain. These biting pests can ruin a nice outdoor outing for you and your family by swarming you and feeding on your blood; they are also notorious for spreading some nasty diseases, like malaria, West Nile virus, encephalitis, and chikungunya. These diseases you can get from mosquitoes are the main reason why it is important to control their population and keep them from becoming a major health hazard. Learn more about the efforts that have been put into controlling these insects over the years and how partnering with HomeShield Pest Control, the best pest control in Los Angeles County, can help keep mosquitoes from becoming a major problem in your area.
Why Do We Need Mosquitoes?
The main reason for a mosquito’s importance is because they play an important part in our ecosystem; they are a food source for other animals, such as dragonflies, bats, birds, frogs, lizards, and spiders. These animals that depend on mosquitoes for food would most likely experience a population decline if mosquitoes were to suddenly vanish. Mosquito larvae and pupae are also eaten in ponds and other permanent water sources, helping to keep small fish, tadpoles, and diving beetles fed. Mosquitoes help with the pollination of some plants, since they feed on plant nectar, but this is a less important role for them than being food for other animals. Despite their importance to the ecosystem, having too many mosquitoes around can be a bad thing, so finding a local pest control company to get rid of mosquitoes to help thin their population is beneficial for health purposes.
A Brief History Of Mosquito Control
Mosquitoes and the diseases they transmit have always been a problem for humans. Here are a few ways they have been dealt with over the years:
- Native Americans used plants, such as rosemary, citronella, and catnip plants to repel mosquitoes. These plants secrete natural oils that keep mosquitoes away.
- In the late 1800s, the French abandoned the construction of the Panama Canal because their laborers working on the canal had a high death rate due to mosquito-borne illnesses. The United States took over the construction of the canal and took measures to control the mosquitoes, completing the project in just a few years.
- The pesticide DDT was created by a Swiss scientist in 1939 and was widely used until it was deemed to be a carcinogen in 1972, but is still used in controlled amounts in some areas of the world.
- West Nile virus worked its way across the United States in 1999, resulting in the CDC taking efforts to work with local governments to educate the public on how to reduce mosquito populations through effective mosquito control.
Mosquitoes will always have the potential to spread diseases and cause concern for humans, but having the knowledge to combat them and keep their numbers at a reasonable level should keep these concerns from becoming major problems.
Why Do Mosquitoes Need Blood To Live?
Known for latching onto our skin and drinking our blood, mosquitoes are well known for being pests, but only female mosquitoes feed on humans. The main food source for both male and female mosquitoes is nectar from flowers; the reason females seek out our blood is because it enables them to lay fertile eggs. They breed continuously, so female mosquitoes will pursue their blood meal about every two days in order to lay another batch of eggs. Finding the best way to control mosquitoes will not only reduce their numbers, but possibly prevent you from becoming their next meal.
The Key To Quality Mosquito Control
Keeping the mosquito population controlled is the best way to prevent the diseases they can transmit from spreading. HomeShield Pest Control is the best Los Angeles County pest control company to take care of your mosquito problem. We have been handling problems with mosquitoes and other pests in the Los Angeles County area since 2009. Our mission is to be the best pest control company in the area by using the safest products, offering the highest quality treatments by allowing service professionals more time with each customer, and focusing less on earnings and more on truly caring about the customer and solving their problems.
We are in business to create peace of mind for our customers and to eliminate any problems with pests, including mosquitoes in Los Angeles County, so residents can live their lives without worrying about the problems a pest infestation can bring. Call to get a free quote today!