Mosquito Control In Alexandria VA

Are Mosquitoes In Alexandria, VA Dangerous?

Mosquitoes are considered the most dangerous animal on the planet and the ones that can be found in Alexandria are no exception. These seemingly harmless pests are responsible for over one million deaths each year because of the dangerous pathogens that they spread. Some of the illnesses that they cause include dengue fever, Zika virus, Eastern equine encephalitis, and West Nile virus. While not everyone who is bitten by a mosquito will contract one of these illnesses and not everyone who contracts one of them will suffer from the most severe case, the result of something like West Nile virus can still be very uncomfortable. Symptoms include swollen muscles, joint pain, fever, nausea, and headaches, though many people may be infected with West Nile virus and never know it. 

At Miche Pest Control, we look to help Alexandria residents prevent these issues with seasonal mosquito control that works. By combining methods like yard fogging and larvicide, we address both current mosquito problems while also preventing new populations from cropping up, the result of which is total relief from mosquitoes and their dangers throughout the season. For more information on mosquito control that works, contact us today.

Dangers Mosquitoes Pose In Alexandria VA

Mosquitoes are known as the deadliest animal across the globe because of the dangerous pathogens that they spread. Each year, approximately one million people die as a result of being bitten by a mosquito. The health risks that they commonly pose are Zika virus, dengue fever, Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), malaria, and West Nile virus. And the humans in Alexandria aren’t the only ones who can be afflicted with these illnesses; some of these diseases are able to be passed along to your dogs and horses. Take EEE for example, this feels like the flu, with a headache and sudden fever, but it’s actually a swelling of the brain with additional side effects being drowsiness, confusion, and vomiting. In the case of West Nile virus (WNV), according to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, one in five people infected with WNV will develop symptoms, with one in 150 people having serious side effects. Since there are no vaccines against this virus, preventive measures are key. Some of the side effects that come with West Nile Virus are fever, joint pain, muscle swelling, and nausea. 

In order to protect yourself from all of the dangers that mosquitoes pose, contact Miche Pest Control today for the most reliable mosquito control around.

What Is Attracting Mosquitoes To My Alexandria, VA, Property?

Between the months of March and October, female mosquitoes buzz around Alexandria properties looking for the blood they require in order to reproduce and lay their eggs. The primary target of their search is humans, so an outdoor gathering is often the most opportune time for mosquitoes to swarm and find exactly where they’re looking for. Things like how much you sweat, the type of shampoo or laundry detergent you use, your blood type, whether or not you’re pregnant, if you’ve been drinking alcohol, and even the color clothing you wear is enough to attract mosquitoes to you. 

Mosquitoes are also attracted to properties because of humidity and moisture, as well as having an abundance of ideal places to lay their eggs. This may look like unattended leaf piles, birdbaths, and kiddie pools with stale water, and simply having dark, shady, cool, and moist areas around your property, say, in your backyard. Because attracting these pests is such an effortless task, professional mosquito control is the only solution. When you enlist the help of Miche Pest Control, we provide seasonal relief from mosquitoes that you can trust. To learn more about how you can benefit from seasonal mosquito control, contact us today.

Three Things You Can Do To Avoid Mosquitoes In Alexandria, VA

Between the months of March and October, mosquitoes can make your life very difficult. With their incessant buzzing and itchy bites, mosquitoes can make any outdoor gathering or simply spending time in your yard very uncomfortable. Here are three things you can do immediately to provide relief from these pests:

1. Tend to your yard. Mosquitoes are looking for cool, damp, and dark places to lay their eggs and take up shelter, so addressing harborage areas around your property is a great place to start. Trim back overhanging tree branches, mow your lawn regularly and to a short length, turn over standing water in birdbaths and your pet’s water bowls, and remove leaf piles to take away the number of places mosquitoes can congregate.
2. Limit the human factor. Because human blood is what mosquitoes are after, it’s important to make yourself less attractive to them. This means opting for unscented laundry detergent, consuming less alcohol, wearing EPA-approved products like picaridin and DEET, and dressing in light-colored clothing.
3. Contact the pros. The most reliable and safest way to keep mosquitoes from becoming a problem on your property is with assistance from your local pest pros.

At Miche Pest Control, we’re dedicated to providing the highest quality mosquito control for Alexandria residents. To learn more about our methods, contact us today.

Why Mosquitoes Bite You

You may know that only female mosquitoes bite you, but are you aware that females don't feed on your blood specifically for food? Female mosquitoes feed on nectar and plant sap, just like male mosquitoes do. They take a blood meal for the purpose of getting what they need for reproduction. Here are a few reasons why this is important to understand.

• You're not going to deter mosquitoes with a little smoke from a campfire or a bad-smelling torch or candle. The females are motivated to bite you. It is a matter of life and death for their species. They will navigate around stinky smoke to get to you and bite you.
• The primary reason why you get mosquito bites when you're out in your yard is connected to the food source female mosquitoes do actually live on. It is the vegetation in your yard. The more vegetation you have, the more mosquitoes you're likely to have. You can reduce mosquitoes by reducing unnecessary vegetation, such as weeds. Flowering weeds should be your first target as they provide nectar and sap. The other option is to have your landscape vegetation treated by a licensed professional.

Benefits Of Mosquito Control In Alexandria, VA

Mosquitoes have the ability to make your life very difficult, with their presence stretching for almost half of the calendar year. With DIY methods of mosquito control being as restrictive as they are, professional assistance is the way to go. Some of the benefits of working with a team like the one at Miche Pest Control are:

• The ability to enjoy your property
• Limited exposure to health risks like West Nile virus and Eastern equine encephalitis
• Total protection from adult mosquitoes and new populations throughout the season
• Reduction in other pests like ticks, fleas, spiders, and more
• Treatment of standing water that you don’t wish to remove from your property, like birdbaths
• Professional knowledge of structural changes that can be made to landscaping

When you partner with Miche Pest Control for your mosquito control needs, you're in the hands of professionals. We take a multi-faceted approach to this issue with yard fogging and larvicide to provide both immediate and lasting relief from these pests. By breaking the lifecycle, we’re able to provide a nearly completely mosquito-free property for our customers. But if mosquitoes do return between regularly scheduled visits, we’ll re-treat your property free of charge. To learn more about mosquito control, contact us today.