An abundance of mosquitoes buzzing in your face is enough to cancel that BBQ party or drive you off the deck and back in the house. Those pesky mosquitoes are much more than a nuisance. Encephalitis and West Nile virus are just a couple of the diseases that can be transmitted from a single mosquito bite.

Interesting facts about mosquitoes:

• Mosquitoes are considered to be the deadliest creatures on earth. This is the result of the many deadly diseases spread by mosquito bites.

• One female mosquito can lay up to 300 eggs at a time and repeat this 3 times before she dies.

• Only an inch of standing water is needed for mosquito eggs to hatch and thrive. The eggs, larvae and pupae must stay in stagnant water to live and mature into the adult mosquito.

• All mosquito bites come from the female. Mosquitoes feed on fruit and nectar but the female must also have blood for egg development.

• Body heat, sweat and the smell of human breath serve as trails that help attract the mosquito to you.

Why do I have them?

Mosquitoes must have a supply of standing water in which to reproduce. Outdoor fish ponds, bird baths, water buckets, standing water in ditches and rain gutters are ideal breeding grounds and cause enough for you to have mosquitoes.

How can I get rid of them?

There are a few things you can do to help eliminate mosquitoes.

• Remove all items from your property that can collect water. This may include buckets, old tires, ceramic pots and bird baths.

• Clean the leaves out of all roof guttering. Clogged downspouts cause water to stand in the gutter. Decaying, rotting leaves provide the food sources needed for larvae to live and mature into adult mosquitoes.

• Keep weeds cut out of all ditches around the property and ensure that ditch is draining properly.

• Any low spots in the yard create a place for standing water. Fill in all low spots to eliminate the chance of water standing in the yard.

At Schendel, we are committed to keeping you and your family safe through our pest control services. Our mosquito control service is no exception. When you schedule service, our highly trained technicians will:

• Put the fun back in outdoor activities by reducing your mosquito population by more than 90%.

• Use ingredients that are natural and safe around your family and pets.

• Focus on eliminating mosquito colonies from your property.

What are you waiting for? Schedule your mosquito treatment with Schendel today!