When Do Mosquitoes Go Away?

Sadly, you won’t see the end of your mosquito problem till the first frost comes. So, unless you’re planning on having a bon fire on a chilly fall evening, mosquitoes are going to join you and uninvited at that. What’s worse, they don’t even bring a dish of food to share.

What can I do to keep from getting bitten by mosquitoes?

Understanding what mosquitoes are attracted to can actually help you avoid some of those bites. Here is a short list of some of the things scientists have determined attract mosquitoes.

• People with high concentrations of steroid or cholesterol on the surface of their skin.

• People who produce excess amounts of certain acids, like: lactic acid.

• People who emit a large amount of carbon dioxide, like: pregnant women, athletes, and people of large girth.

• People with increased skin temperature.

If you want to avoid bites when your friends come over for a cookout, choose to relax near the fire, instead of playing frisbee or kicking the ball around. When you exert yourself, you sweat, and mosquitoes will be drawn to the lactic acid in your sweat–which they can smell from as much as fifty meters away! And, as they draw near, they will lock in on your quick movements and the cloud of carbon dioxide your heavy breathing is generating. The fact that your skin temperature has increased by your exertion is only icing on the cake. The mosquitoes have already determined that you will provide a good blood meal.

What about mosquito repellent and DEET? If you have ever used mosquito repellent, you know that it doesn’t fully work. You may be able to ward off the least motivated female mosquitoes, but the desperate ones will choose you for their pre-mating lunch, despite your unsavory cologne. The best you can hope to do is make yourself less attractive than everyone else around you. Don’t forget that a professional pest control company can also help assist you in drastically reducing the number of these pests on your property!

Of course, there is another alternative. You could hire a professional to spray your lawn and significantly reduce the mosquito population. Then you and your friends could play some badminton, kick the soccer ball around, or throw that frisbee, without being eaten alive. It is a lot better than hiding by the fire, and you’ll be protecting your family all year round, from the slew of viruses and diseases mosquitoes spread. After one summer of significantly reduced mosquitoes, you won’t imagine ever skipping a treatment.