Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked
Questions
ABOUT MOSQUITOES
What are (and are not) mosquitoes?
Insects often mistaken for mosquitoes
How far can mosquitoes fly?
How much blood does a mosquito take in a meal?
Why do mosquitoes feed on blood?
What good do mosquitoes do?
How long do mosquitoes live?
MOSQUITO DANGER AND DISEASES
Can mosquitoes transmit AIDS?
Which mosquitoes transmit West Nile Virus?
Is West Nile Virus in my area?
What
are mosquito-borne diseases?
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
What attracts mosquitoes to me?
Which repellent works best?
How do mosquitoes get into my house?
What can homeowners do to reduce mosquito bites?
What about backyard ponds, fountains, and swimming pools?
MOSQUITO CONTROL
Are backyard misting systems effective?
Do Bug-Zappers Work?
Do Ultrasonic devices work?
Do mosquito traps work?
How do mosquito control districts control
mosquitoes?
Can you spray for mosquitoes in my neighborhood?
What happens when I submit a Service Request?
Are pesticides used in mosquito control safe?
How do mosquito districts avoid spraying chemically-sensitive
persons?
Do mosquito sprays affect animals other than mosquitoes?
Does MMAD use/deliver mosquito fish?
How far can mosquitoes fly?
Mosquito species preferring to breed around the house, like the Asian
Tiger Mosquito, have limited flight ranges of about 300 feet. Most species
have flight ranges of 1-3 miles. Certain large pool breeders in the
Midwest are often found up to 7 miles from known breeding spots. The
undisputed champions, though, are the saltmarsh breeders - having been
known to migrate up to 100 miles in exceptional circumstances, although
20 to 40 miles are much more common when hosts are scarce. When caught
up in updrafts that direct them into winds high above the ground, mosquitoes
can be carried great distances.
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How much blood does a mosquito
take in a meal?
When feeding to repletion, mosquitoes imbibe anywhere from 0.001 to
0.01 milliliter.
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Why do mosquitoes feed on
blood?
Female mosquitoes imbibe blood so that their eggs can mature prior to
laying. It serves no nourishment function. Males do not take blood meals
at all. In order to obtain energy, both male and female mosquitoes feed
upon plant nectars - much in the same manner as honeybees.
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What good do mosquitoes do?
Mosquitoes fill a variety of niches which nature provides. As such,
placing a value on their existence is generally inappropriate. Although
the fossil record is incomplete, they have been known from the Cretaceous
Period (about 100 million years ago) in North America. Their adaptability
has made them extraordinarily successful, with upwards of 2,700 species
worldwide. Mosquitoes serve as food sources for a variety of organisms
but are not crucial to any predator species.
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How long do mosquitoes live?
Lifespan vary by species. Most adult female mosquitoes live 2-3 weeks.
Some species that over-winter in garages, culverts and attics can live
as long as 6 months.
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Can mosquitoes transmit AIDS?
Many studies have been conducted on this issue in the United States
and abroad. There has never been a successful transfer of the virus
from an infected source to another host by bloodfeeding insects under
experimental conditions. The experts have concluded that the insects
are not capable of such transmission. Many biological reasons would
lead one to this same conclusion, but the extensive experimental studies
are the most powerful evidence for the conclusion.
1. HIV DOES NOT replicate in mosquitoes.
Thus, mosquitoes cannot be a biological vector as they are for malaria,
yellow fever, or dengue. In fact, mosquitoes digest the virus that causes
AIDS.
2. There is no possibility of mechanical transmission (i.e., flying
contaminated syringes); even though we all know that HIV can be transmitted
by dirty needles. However, the amount of "blood" on a mosquitoes'
mouth parts is tiny compared to what is found on a "dirty"
needle. Thus, the risk is proportionally smaller. Calculations based
on the mechanical transmission of anthrax and Rift Valley fever virus,
both of which produce very high titers in blood, unlike HIV, showed
that it would take about 10,000,000 mosquitoes that first fed on a person
with AIDS and then continued feeding on a susceptible person to get
1 transmission.
3. Mosquitoes are not flying hypodermic needles. Mosquitoes regurgitate
saliva into the bite wound (the normal route for disease transmission)
through a separate tube from that through which it imbibes blood.
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Which mosquitoes transmit
West Nile Virus?
The Magna district has 10 commonly found species of mosquito. Three
of these have been found to carry the virus. (Culex
Tarsalis, Culex Pipiens, and Culex Erythrothorax) At least
43 species of mosquitoes have been found infected with the West Nile
virus in the United States. Not all of these, however, are capable of
maintaining the virus in such a manner as to permit them to transmit
it among organisms. Many of these infected mosquitoes feed only upon
birds, thus contributing to a cycling of the virus among avian populations.
Other species feed upon these infective birds and then will feed upon
mammals, including humans. These are called "bridge vectors"
because they serve as a conduit for the virus to travel from its reservoir
in birds to its final host in humans or other mammals. In urban settings,
Culex pipiens is usually the primary vector. In rural areas, particularly
in the western part of the United States, Culex tarsalis is the primary
transmitter. Click here for more information on West
Nile Virus.
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Is West Nile Virus in my
area?
If West Nile Virus is found in Magna Mosquito's District, we
will post the most current information on the website, here.
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What attracts mosquitoes
to me?
Why some people seem to be more attractive than others to mosquitoes
is the subject of much repellent (and attractant for traps) research
being conducted nationwide. Carbon dioxide is the most universally recognized
mosquito attractant and draws mosquitoes from up to 35 meters. When
female mosquitoes sense carbon dioxide they usually adopt a zigzagging
flight path within the plume to locate its source. Once in the general
vicinity of a potential host, other cues predominate, including body
odors (sweat, lactic acid, etc.) and heat. Odors produced by skin microflora
also play a part in inducing the mosquito to land. Over 350 compounds
have been isolated from odors produced by human skin. Either singly
or in combination, many of these compounds may be attractants - and
many may be repellents. As you can see, the situation is complicated
and will require many years of testing before it can be sorted out.
Visual stimuli, such as movement, also factor into host-seeking. What
can be safely stated, though, is that ingestion of garlic, vitamin B12
and other systemics has been proven in controlled laboratory studies
to have no impact on mosquito biting. Conversely, eating bananas did
not attract mosquitoes as the myth suggests, but wearing perfumes does.
People drinking beer have been shown to be more attractive to mosquitoes.
Limburger cheese has also been found to be attractive. Scientists have
theorized that this may explain the attractancy some mosquitoes find
for human feet.
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Which repellent works best?
N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET) remains the standard by which all
other repellents are judged. It is effective against mosquitoes, biting
flies, chiggers, fleas, and ticks. Over 25 years of empirical testing
of more than 20,000 other compounds has not resulted in another marketed
chemical product with the duration of protection and broad-spectrum
effectiveness of DEET although the recent additions of picaridin and
oil of lemon eucalyptus are remarkably close in effectiveness to DEET.
The American Academy of Pediatrics says that all family members over
the age of two months can use DEET-based repellents with up to 30% concentration
with confidence.
Today's products start out at a concentration of 5% (lasts 90 minutes or so) and range up to 100% (for approximately 10 hours of protection from bites). Pick one that matches your activity. For an outdoor family barbecue in the evenings, a 10% product is fine. It will help protect from bites for approximately 90 minutes to two hours.
In April of 2005, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began recommending two new active ingredients as safe, effective repellents.
The first of these is picaridin, a synthetic developed by Bayer Corporation in the 1980s. This repellent is the most widely used repellent in the world outside of the United States and is marketed as Cutter Advanced. Picaridin is odorless, has a pleasant feel and doesn't plasticize like DEET. Studies have shown it to be as fully repellent to mosquitoes as DEET and can also be applied on infants as young as 2 months. The 15% picaridin formulation, Cutter Advanced Sport, is also an effective repellent for ticks.
The other repellent, often the choice
of those wanting a natural product, is oil of lemon-eucalyptus, sold
as Repel®. Repel is a 40% formulation of naturally-derived eucalyptus
and has a pleasant scent and feel without any plasticizing properties.
It is also effective at repelling ticks.
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How do mosquitoes get into
my house?
Mosquitoes are singularly adept at entering houses through any portal
available, be it through broken window or door screens, attic soffits
or through bathroom exhaust vents. A favorite resting spot is the garage,
so take care to keep resting female mosquitoes from coming into the
house through the garage.
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What can homeowners do to
reduce mosquito bites?
If possible, schedule your activities to avoid the times when mosquitoes
are most active - usually dawn and dusk. You should also dress in light,
loose-fitting clothing. If you have a deck, light it using General Electric
yellow "Bug Lights". These lights are not repellant, per se,
but do not attract mosquitoes like other incandescent lights. Mosquitoes
are relatively weak fliers, so placing a large fan on your deck can
provide a low-tech solution. Citronella candles have a mild repellent
effect, but do not offer significantly more protection than other candles
producing smoke.
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What about backyard ponds,
fountains, and swimming pools?
Mosquitoes breed in standing water,
so if you or your neighbor has a fountain that does not circulate regularly
and has no fish, there is a potential for mosquito growth. This can
also apply to swimming pools that are not treated, and emptied regularly.
If you are worried about a pond, fountain or swimming pool, submit
a service request and MMAD can come inspect for you. MMAD does not
use mosquito fish, due to costly regulations involving certification.
However, there is an option using a pellet called Altosid. It can be
placed in the pond and is safe for ponds with fish and vegetation, while
killing any mosquito larvae in the water. Altosid will not affect or
harm any dogs or pets that drink from the water.
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Are backyard misting systems
effective?
Scheduled sprays used by these misters may needlessly broadcast pesticides
into the environment, affecting mosquitoes and non-target insects alike.
Modern mosquito control strategies emphasize an integrated approach,
based upon a profound knowledge of the target, so that's its various
vulnerabilities can be exploited by the many tools we've developed for
that purpose. Effective mosquito control requires continual survey of
adult mosquito densities to determine if certain triggers for control
are met. This reduces the use of adulticides to only those times when
they are required.
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Do Bug-Zappers Work?
Black light insect electrocution devices (Bug Zappers, etc.) are purchased
in huge quantities by homeowners due to their demonstrated ability to
attract and kill thousands of insects over a 24 hr. period. But do they
really control pest insects? Bug zappers do indeed kill some mosquitoes.
However, the only two controlled studies conducted to date by independent
investigators at the University of Notre Dame showed that mosquitoes
comprised merely 4.1% and 6.4% respectively of the daily catch over
an entire season. Even more important was the finding in both studies
that there was no significant difference in the number of mosquitoes
found in yards with or without bug zappers. What is particularly disconcerting,
however, is the number of non-pest insects that comprise the vast majority
of trap catch. Many of these insects are beneficial predators on other
insect pests. They in turn constitute a major part of the diet of many
songbirds. Indeed, reduced numbers of moth and beetle prey species have
contributed significantly to the decline of songbird populations in
many affluent suburbs. Insect electrocution devices undoubtedly bear
some responsibility for this phenomenon. Mosquitoes continue to be more
attracted to humans than to the devices. One study conducted in homeowners'
backyards showed that of the insects killed by these devices, only 0.13%
were female mosquitoes. An estimated 71 billion to 350 billion beneficial
insects may be killed annually in the United States by these electrocuting
devices.
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Do Ultrasonic devices work?
At least 10 studies in the past 15 years have unanimously denounced
ultrasonic devices as having no repellency value whatsoever. The fact
is that these devices just do not work - marketing claims to the contrary.
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Do mosquito traps work?
An enormous amount of consumer interest has been generated by the marketing
of new devices designed to attract, then either trap or kill, mosquitoes.
The general idea is to reduce the number of questing mosquitoes that
would otherwise be afflicting the homeowner. Many products even claim
to significantly reduce or even collapse local mosquito populations
by decreasing the number of egg-laying females through their capture.
These devices will trap and kill measurable numbers of mosquitoes. Whether
this will produce a noticeable reduction in the mosquito population
in each case will depend upon a number of factors, e.g. individual tolerance
level, absolute mosquito population size, proximity, size and type of
breeding habitat producing re-infestation, wind velocity and direction,
and species of mosquito present, and others. Thus, the homeowner must
still use repellents and practice source reduction methods as adjuncts
to realize any measure of relief. Please be cautioned against putting
too much faith in traps as your sole means of control. These traps represent
an evolving technology that is a most welcome addition to our mosquito
control armamentarium. Their potential is great, but shouldn't be overestimated.
It's highly unlikely that these devices, whatever their improvements,
will ever fully supplant organized community-wide mosquito control programs,
for there is no single silver bullet that will prove to be the ultimate
answer to mosquito problems.
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Can you spray for mosquitoes
in my neighborhood?
We can and do use our "fogger" truck in neighborhoods.
However this is on a VERY as needed basis. We do everything we can to
eliminate the potential for mosquitoes before they become adults. We
will be in every neighborhood within our district to treat catch basins,
gutters and ponds. PLEASE, if you have a pond in your backyard let us
know. Unfortunately, we are not able to kill all mosquitoes before they
become adults and so we use our "foggers" as a last resort.
Even with all this you will still see mosquitoes. Please know that we
are here to control the mosquito population, not eliminate it.
What happens when I submit
a Service Request?
Your service request is emailed to Magna Mosquito Abatement. Once it
is received, you will receive an email either requesting more information,
or letting you know what action can be taken for your situation. If
you are having problems with the Service Request, you can call Magna
Mosquito at 801-250-7765.
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Are pesticides used in mosquito
control safe?
Since its inception, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has regulated
mosquito control through enforcement of standards instituted by the
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. This legislation
mandated documentation of extensive testing for public health insecticides
according to EPA guidelines prior to their registration and use. These
data requirements are among the most stringent in the federal government
and are met through research by established scientists in federal, state
and private institutions. This process costs a registrant several million
dollars per product, but ensures that the public health insecticides
available for mosquito control do not represent health or environmental
risks when used as directed. Indeed, the five or six adulticides currently
available are the selected survivors of literally hundreds of products
developed for these uses over the years. The dosages at which these
products are legally dispensed are at least 100-fold less than the point
at which public health and environmental safety merit consideration.
In point of fact, literature posted on the websites of the EPA Office
of Pesticide Programs, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
American Association of Pesticide Safety Educators and National Pesticide
Information Center emphasizes that proper use of mosquitocides by established
mosquito control agencies does not put the general public or the environment
at unreasonable risk from runoff, leaching or drift when used according
to label specifications. (For the federal government's position on risks
associated with mosquito control insecticides, visit http:/www.epa.gov/pesticides).
The safety profiles of public health
insecticides are undergoing increasing scrutiny because of concerns
with how the specialized application technology and product selection
protect the exposed public and environment. In fact, well over 200 peer-reviewed
scientific studies in various national and international refereed journals
since 1980 have documented the safety and efficacy of these public health
insecticides at label rates in addition to their application techniques.
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How do mosquito districts
avoid spraying chemically-sensitive persons?
Organized mosquito control agencies often go to extraordinary lengths
to accommodate individuals who, for varying reasons, prefer their property
not be sprayed with approved public health insecticides. When surveys
indicate the need for adult sprays, they are approved, planned and conducted
with special regard to the concerns of chemically sensitive persons.
Personal notification of chemically-sensitive individuals of spray times
in addition to using Global Positioning Systems (GPS)/Global Information
Systems (GIS) technology to reduce the likelihood of drift over unauthorized
areas are but a few of the means utilized to ensure mosquito control
serves the entire public spectrum. Should you desire that your property
not be sprayed, please notify your local district.
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Do mosquito sprays affect
animals other than mosquitoes?
The extremely small droplet aerosols utilized in adult mosquito control
are designed to impact primarily on adult mosquitoes that are on the
wing at the time of the application. Degradation of these small droplets
is rapid, leaving little or no residue in the target area at ground
level. These special considerations are major factors that favor the
use of very low application rates for these products, generally less
then 4 grams active ingredient per acre, and are instrumental in minimizing
adverse impacts.
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Does MMAD use/deliver mosquito
fish?
Unfortunately, due to the high
cost to certify fish, Magna Mosquito Abatement cannot offer mosquito
fish for ponds or fountains. They do, however, offer Altosid tablets,
which when placed in the pond or fountain will kill any mosquito larvae
without affecting the water color, any other fish, or vegetation.
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