Advice From a Mosquito

Katie Morse, Intern, BCCD
Mosquitoes—we all know what they are—little flying bugs that like to take advantage of any exposed skin and ruin a good night outside. They bite anyone willing to provide a blood feast.  But what if you don’t want to be that dinner? Well, here’s some good news: there are a few things you can do to prevent becoming the next victim of a mosquito attack by preventing repopulation around your home.

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First, let’s explain what mosquitos are and why they are an issue.

• What is a mosquito?

Mosquitos are small flying insects from the family Culicidae, and there are around 3,600 different species (in Bradford County, the most common species is the Culex mosquito). This small flying bug has a slender body with a pair of wings and three pairs of legs. The most notable physical feature of a mosquito, separate from other commonly found bugs in mosquito habitats like the midge and the gnat, is the proboscis. The proboscis is the feeding organ of mosquitoes that protrudes from the head and has six needle-like parts that pierce the skin to suck the blood.

• Why are mosquitoes an issue?

Unfortunately for the unsuspecting hosts, mosquitoes can carry viruses and parasites, the most common of these diseases being West Nile Virus (WNV). WNV can be life-threatening, especially to those over 60 or with a weakened immune system, but in mild cases, the virus is often confused with the flu and typically doesn’t last too long. Mosquitoes are also known to carry other diseases with varying severity.

• Why do they leave red bumps?

The itchy inflamed bumps on skin resulting from a mosquito bite are caused by the proteins found in the mosquitos’ saliva. When a female bites you (only females bite) to harvest blood to grow her eggs, she injects saliva into the skin, which stops the coagulation of blood to allow her to retrieve as much as possible.  This results in our itchy welts.

Now that we’ve gained a familiarity with these tiny pests, here is their advice to us:
‘We love stagnant water, especially spots with vegetation and little disturbance.  We lay our eggs in there. Tire piles and buckets left outside provide lovely habitats because, in heat and humidity, we thrive. This mid-July we’ve really loved; it’s been hot and humid, and there’s lots of water from the rainstorms. So, what’s our advice?
Take in all buckets and vessels that can hold rainwater. Our babies progress from egg to larvae to pupa and then adults in as little as a week, so if you leave anything that can hold water out in the rain, dump the water out and take steps to prevent it from filling again. If you’ve got tire shells laying around and nowhere else to put them, make sure to cover them or drill holes in the bottom to allow water drainage. And gutters—always clean your gutters. We love the plants and mucky water that sits still above your home.  We hate long-sleeve shirts and pants; they cover your skin and protect you from our bites. Here is one final word of advice (though we have so much more): we hate when you use EPA-approved bug repellents; those really rain on our parade.’

We all hate mosquitoes (unless you work with WNV program like I do), so do your part to prevent the rapid spread and reproduction of these annoying bugs; you might just save a life by keeping mosquito-borne viruses away from your family, friends, and neighbors.

For more information on the WNV, visit West Nile Virus: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment (healthline.com)

The Bradford County Conservation District is committed to helping people manage resources wisely.  You can visit the Bradford County Conservation District at 200 Lake Rd in Wysox across from the Wysox Fire Hall. Contact us at (570) 485-3144 or visit our web page at www.bccdpa.com.