Your best defense against mosquitoes is Mosquito Authority. Our mosquito control technicians provide professional services to eradicate mosquitoes from your property and prevent their breeding cycle. Since our founding in 2002, we’ve received many questions about mosquitoes and mosquito control.

We take mosquito control very seriously so your family can enjoy your yard with peace of mind. We’re happy to address mosquito questions and answers, so our customers have the information they need before starting our services.

Why Do Mosquitoes Feed on Blood?

Contrary to popular belief, mosquitoes don’t feed on blood for nourishment. Rather, male mosquitoes don’t bite, and female mosquitoes consume blood to help their eggs mature prior to laying.

The amount of blood that female mosquitoes drink per bite ranges from 0.001 to 0.01 mL (or 3.38 to 0.000338 fluid ounces). Both male and female mosquitoes feed upon plant nectars, like bees, wasps, butterflies, moths, flies, and beetles.

What Good Do Mosquitoes Do?

Mosquitoes serve as a food source for a variety of organisms but aren’t a primary source of nourishment for any predator species. Mosquitoes have existed since the Cretaceous Period (about 100 million years ago) in North America.

They are extremely adaptable, with upwards of 2,700 species known throughout the world. Given their adaptability, mosquitoes are difficult to eradicate entirely.

What Attracts Mosquitoes To Me?

Research is ongoing to determine why some people are more susceptible to mosquito bites than others. One theory is that the carbon dioxide output our bodies produce is a mosquito magnet, drawing in mosquitoes from up to 35 meters (115 feet).

Other theories posit body odors, visual stimuli, and even food choices can be factors in mosquito host-seeking behavior.

What Happens When A Mosquito Bites You?

Mosquitoes use a special mouth-part (proboscis) to pierce your skin and drink blood. While the mosquito feeds on your blood, it injects saliva into your skin, which results in a reaction that includes swelling into a bump and eventual itchiness.

Many people have mild reactions to mosquito bites, but others like children, adults who haven’t been exposed to that specific species, and those with immune system disorders can have more severe reactions that include larger areas of swelling and redness, low-grade fever, hives, and swollen lymph nodes.

Learn more about the science behind mosquito bites.

How Does Alternative Earthcare Tick and Mosquito Spraying and Control Service Work?

Alternative Earthcare uses mosquito control techniques that are rooted in science and based on the 3-week life cycle of a mosquito. When we visit your property for treatments, we’ll complete a thorough inspection of the area to be treated for standing water and other mosquito habitats.

We’ll remove the standing water and apply a granular treatment to areas where the water cannot be removed to eradicate mosquito larvae.

After our thorough inspection, we’ll apply a barrier treatment, focusing on shaded mosquito habitats like bushes, trees, and shrubs. These mosquito treatments will continue to eliminate mosquitoes for up to three weeks, after which we’ll return to ensure mosquitoes haven’t come back and repeat the process.

How Long Does It Take Treatments To Work?

While our treatments eliminate most adult mosquitoes immediately on contact, it could take more than one treatment to have the full effect. Many of our clients report a mosquito-free yard after the first treatment, with maximum control occurring after the second or third treatment.

Mosquito Authority is committed to our customer’s complete satisfaction with our services. We offer and stand by our guarantee that any time after your initial two services, we’ll return, reassess, and retreat if necessary.

The confidence we’ve placed in our treatments is reflected in our ability to offer services without contracts or commitments. If you’re not satisfied with the results of our treatments, you’re not obligated to continue with them.

 

Are Treatments Nontoxic For Children, Pets, and Wildlife?

Yes, Mosquito Authority utilizes treatments that are nontoxic for children, pets, and local wildlife. The primary ingredient in our product is used in flea and tick shampoos.

We do recommend waiting up to 30 minutes before sending children or pets back outside, so our product has time to dry and adhere to foliage. This ensures our product will last for 21 days before we return to retreat.

Our mosquito control specialists are trained to avoid blooming plants and foliage for pollinators. It’s worth noting that our founder is a beekeeper, and we treat within 10 feet of his hives with no adverse effects. If you are a beekeeper or have any areas within your yard you would like us to avoid, let us know.

Many of our customers report a reduction in insect pests other than mosquitoes after treatment. While our process is designed to only target and eliminate mosquitoes (pest control and ticks, where applicable), there’s little to no impact on non-target species.

How Long Do Treatments Take, and Do I Have To Be Home?

There are a few factors that determine how long it takes a mosquito control specialist to treat your yard. Treatments can be as short as 10 minutes, while others can take as long as 30 minutes.

At Mosquito Authority, we take the time to complete a thorough walk-through of your property, ensuring there is no standing water or other potential mosquito habitats. Our specialists will treat with larvicide if necessary in addition to treating foliage.

Additionally, no one is required to be home at the time of service. If there are special circumstances on your property, such as a required gate code for access or a pet in the yard, you can make arrangements with your local team prior to service.

 

Do I Only Need Treatments in Warmer Months?

For the best possible mosquito control on your property, Mosquito Authority recommends starting as early as possible in spring and continuing treatments as late as possible into fall. Eggs laid by adult mosquitoes can survive colder months, so treatments are recommended for spring, summer, and fall to best control mosquito populations.

This does vary depending on your climate, and your local team can recommend a treatment schedule based on your location.

Our barrier treatments are designed to function properly even in the wettest conditions, providing it has time to dry. This ensures our product lasts for the entire 21 days.

Learn more about when does mosquito season starts.

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