Did you know there are at least 61 different species of mosquitos in South Carolina? Although they are a pain, mosquitos are a food source for birds, fish, frogs, bats, and other animals. Mosquitos are closely related to flies in the gnat and no-see-um taxa. The word mosquito means “little fly”, meaning they are midge-like and have two wings.
The ability to transmit potentially harmful diseases and the almost endless availability of standing water sites makes it very important to limit breeding sites. To reduce breeding sites, identify potential locations of water retention and eliminate them. Many places where water pools and becomes stagnant are overlooked. Water that stands for five days or more can become mosquito breeding sites.
Mosquitos complete their life cycle in four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Standing water is an important part to these life stages and influences the overall number of mosquitos produced. From egg to adult, it takes approximately 8-10 days to complete the life cycle of a mosquito. Female mosquitos normally require a blood meal prior to egg production where they can lay 50 to 200 eggs at a time in or on a water source.
There are two mosquito egg types: floodwater eggs (laid in water, but require a drying period to become viable) and permanent water eggs (require standing water to hatch).
For the majority of permanent water mosquito species, the egg, larva, and pupa stages require water for development.
Permanent water eggs hatch in 2-3 days once laid in or on exposed water. For about a week, the larvae will feed on small pieces of settled organic matter in stagnant water. The larvae will begin to take on the comma-shaped appearance of the pupae.
The pupae stage lasts about two days, but can take up to a week. An adult mosquito will emerge, crawl out of the water, and will fly away once its body parts have hardened. Now, the mosquitos are ready to mate. Male and female mosquitos use flower nectar as a carbohydrate source for energy. Only female mosquitos bite, since they require protein from a blood meal prior to producing new eggs.
Some mosquitos only need a tablespoon of water (about the size of a bottle cap) to develop in. An important step to reduce areas that retain water is simple not create them. Storing items properly around the home reduces the initial potential for water collection. Turning over items so water drain rather than fill can become a simple practice. Disposing of trash and debris reduces the chance of random water retention in the environment.
Common items or places that hold water can include: flowerpots and collection saucers, cans, cups, bottles, coolers, pet bowls, animal troughs, buckets, barrels, drums, watering cans, old tires and hubcaps, wheelbarrows, birdbaths and fountains, children’s toys, wagons, trash cans, unmaintained swimming or kiddie pools, low lying areas that create puddles, tire ruts, and woodpiles and tarps covering woodpiles.
Uncommon sources of water retention can include: caps and lids, outdoor vases (cemeteries), plant cuttings rooting in water, leaf axils and blades of plants of overgrown shrubs, wading pools, garden ponds, rain barrels, clogged gutters and downspouts, boat/canoes/ kayaks (if uncovered), junk vehicles, discarded appliances, unsecured plastic sheeting and tarps, improperly fastened pool covers, tree or stump holes, leaf piles, cut open-ended bamboo used in landscaping, fire pits, bricks or cement blocks with holes, unused pipes, dysfunctional drain ditches/basins/cisterns, leaky pipes that pool water, nonfunctioning storm drains, air conditioner drain areas, flat foots in the shade, old shoes or boots left outside and garden tools.
Some helpful tips to reduce water retention includes: proper disposal of trash, use tight-fitting lids on garbage cans, limit cool/dark/damp areas, appropriately mow lawns on a regular basis to limit excessive wetness, trim overgrown shrubbery, eliminate unnecessary vines and weeds, drill holes in tire swings, empty and store wading pools when not in use, change water in outdoor pet bowls daily, change water in birdbaths once a week, place screens over rain barrels to prevent eggs being laid, make sure all drain and pipes function properly, repair outdoor faucets with leak issues, and pick up litter and properly discard.
Prior to seeking chemical control, spend time outside reducing areas that retain water or maintain high humidity. This will reduce the number of mosquitos and creating positive habitats as stewards of the environment. Where standing water cannot be prevented or drained, mosquito dunks or pellets that contain Bti (Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis). These products are a form of biological control used to kill mosquito larvae in ponds, fountains, or birdbaths that need to hold water.
For more information on mosquitos, please visit the Home and Garden Information Center website at hgic.clemson.edu. Tune in on Tuesday nights to watch “Making it Grow” at 7 p.m. on SCETV or mig.org. Email Outen at callenb@clemson.edu.
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