Recently,  Wondercide has received many calls and questions regarding mosquitoes.  ’Why can’t I get rid of them this year?’, ’Nothing is working to repel them.’  With these questions and concerns, Wondercide was prompted to do some extensive research regarding this pesky flying insect.  Our results concluded that these aren’t your typical mosquitoes, they are in many cases, an invasive species that is extremely difficult to eradicate. 

The Asian Tiger Mosquito (Aedes albopictus) is one of the world’s worst invasive species and is characterized by its small black and white body with black and white striped legs.

Female Asian Tiger Mosquito

It is native to the tropical and subtropical regions of S.E. Asia, but since 1967 has spread to other countries including Europe, the Americas, the Caribbean, Africa, and the Middle East.  They are successfully adapting themselves to cooler regions, where they are able to hibernate over winter (they can even tolerate snow and temperatures below freezing).

First found in North America in a shipment of used tires to the Port of Houston in 1985, this species has established themselves and spread across the southern U.S. They have reached as far North East as Maine.  In Texas, there are many reports in South (coastal areas), Central (Austin, Georgetown), and North (DFW) areas.  Tiger Mosquitoes are known to carry diseases such as West Nile Virus, yellow fever virus & dengue virus to name a few.  The tiger mosquito is also of concern to veterinary practitioners, in that they are transmitters of a parasitic round worm that causes heartworm in dogs and cats.

This species has been proven very difficult to eradicate due to their adaptability to various environments, their close proximity to humans, and their reproductive biology.  They are unlike typical mosquitoes in that they do not require standing water to breed and lay eggs.  Even an ounce of water in the bottom of a flower pot will suffice for the female to lay her eggs.  They are generally found near humans and their typical feeding time is during the day between the hours of 10am and 3pm, which means that early morning spraying and government run mosquito abatement programs will do little to affect the population (adult or otherwise).  Their short flight range is an almost assurance that the breeding location will be found close to the mosquito.   Treating your property with EcoTreat Pro as needed will eliminate the egg layer cycle and greatly reduce the population on your property. They will likely NOT fly in from your neighbors once you have the property under control. EcoTreat Pro was formulated for use in any Mosquito Misting system, and is non toxic, unlike permethrin.

Whether you are at home or away this summer, Wondercide has the answer  mosquito magnets are looking for!  Our all natural, non-toxic, 100% effective solutions will provide substantial relief from these insects.   Wondercide Biter Fighter is our deet free mosquito repellent that lasts all day is completely safe for children! Visit  us at wondercide.com for a complete list of products and descriptions. Live Green & Live Longer!

Tags: DEET free, deet free mosquito repellent, mosquito, mosquito austin, mosquito bite, mosquito magnet, mosquito misting system, mosquito spray, mosquito yard, non-toxic repellent, tiger mosquito

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009 at 4:53 pm and is filed under Organic Lawn & Garden, Pet Health, Wondercide. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.