When most people think about dangerous animals, they think of sharks, lions, and other big predators. Some even think of humans, since we tend to be fairly good at killing each other. Dangerous though those creatures may be, they all pale in comparison to the humble mosquito.
Why Are They Dangerous?
Mosquitoes drink blood, but that is not what makes them dangerous. They are deadly because they spread some of the most dangerous diseases in the world. Malaria is the biggest threat, and it kills approximately half a million people each year.
Most of the people who die from the disease live in the developing world, where they lack access to the medical care to treat it and the tools to prevent mosquito infestations. The situation is improving as more and more people get access to those tools, but it remains a huge problem.
Malaria is not a significant problem in most developed nations, but the Zika Virus and West Nile Virus are another matter. They have struck in the developed world in recent years, and they prove the importance of dealing with mosquito problems.
Preventing Infestations
The best way to prevent the spread of mosquito-borne disease is to prevent the spread of mosquitoes. Most of the diseases that they spread do not spread from any other significant vectors, so eliminating the mosquitoes eliminates the bulk of the problem. They key to doing that is to understand their life cycle, specifically the way that they reproduce.
Mosquitoes lay their eggs in stagnant water. Most mosquito eggs can survive in dry conditions for a little while, but they can only hatch if they are in water. In nature, they lay their eggs in swamps, lakes, and other bodies of water that lack strong currents. In developed areas, they can lay their eggs in pools, buckets, birdbaths, and anywhere else that can fill with water and go for a few months without being disturbed.
The best way to prevent a mosquito infestation is to make it so that they can't breed. Mosquitoes do not live very long, so eliminating their eggs will remove the problem within a few months. Humans can do that by simply eliminating the stagnant water in which they breed. Emptying containers when they fill with water, or changing the water in birdbaths and other vessels that need to stay full every few weeks, will eliminate most of the eggs. Some eggs will survive in water that is hard to find or remove, but this technique does keep the population at a manageable level.
Extermination
A healthy dose of powerful outdoor pest control will get rid of most of the mosquitoes that do hatch. It is best to get a professional to look at the problem, since they have the knowledge that lets them decide what sort of treatment will be most effective.
A barrier spray is the most common choice. It will eliminate mosquitoes on contact, but it will also remain in the environment to prevent them from coming back. That will ensure that any mosquitoes that survive to reproduce do it far away from humans, where they are unlikely to cause problems.
Personal Protection
Even people who remove all of the mosquitoes around their home run the risk of exposure when they travel. Fortunately, a mosquito spray or other repellent will prevent most problems. Campers sh should also make a point of sleeping under a mosquito net if they are in an area where they are present. These techniques are cheap and generally effective, so they're a great way to add another layer of protection when simply terminating the bugs is not an option.
Medical treatment should be the last resort, since preventing a problem is always better than curing it, but it is still wise to learn the signs of common diseases. People who experience any of those symptoms should seek out a doctor immediately. Quick treatment can make all the difference when the worst happens, so it's always better to be safe than sorry.
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