Mosquitoes enjoy Austin’s sultry days and standing puddles almost as much as those of barbecue fans. If you find yourself swatting incessantly, you should study their technique and short circuit before your yard looks like a nighttime blood bank. Remember keep pestcontrolinaustintx.com in mind should do it yourself efforts prove inadequate.

The length of the mosquito life? Larva, egg, pupa, adult: tidy and swift. Female mosquitoes lay their eggs on water just as birdbaths, blocked gutters, dog bowls left in the rain. Not much is needed; a rain filled bottle top might do. In a warm Austin backyard, the eggs will hatch into larvae 24 to 48 hours. Called “wigglers,” larvae swim about devouring anything in the water algae, bacteria, even dirt. They become pupae around one week later. This resembles a mosquito at stage of “Netflix and chill”. Though they eat little, pupae are getting ready for their adult life. Two to three days later, adults turn up eager to bite you in several hours.

Breaking this cycle requires awareness even though it is hardly rocket science. Consider flowerpot saucers, buckets, used tires, plastic toys dump at least once a week standing water. Every day change the pet water. Keep downspouts angled so water runs instead of puddling and gutters clear. For those who like birdbaths, scrub and restitute many times a week. Insects hate turbulence; a fountain pump will help to keep water flowing.

Interesting fact: only female mosquitoes bite. Men are pollen sippers; women want blood to produce eggs. If you see more people following a heavy downpour, know you are on the front line of a new wave. Keep one step ahead and break their cycle at every level. Let buzzing intruders not control your yard. Prepare ahead of the spring showers and keep to a calendar. For this the mosquitoes will despise you. Considering your neighbors? They might just value the sunny evenings free of mosquitoes.