In 2021, there were more than 21,000 reported cases of Dengue in Singapore, according to The Strait Times. Mosquitoes are more than just insects capable of biting and leaving those annoying and itchy welts in their wake. Mosquitoes are one of the most dangerous pests, and while they don’t cause structural damage to your home, what they carry can be lethal to everyone else’s health. Hence, many household and commercial infrastructures opt for pest control services in Singapore to get rid of mosquitoes.

Learning more about mosquitoes can help you defend your household against the deadly disease it carries and controls the transmission of its viruses. Tacking such infestations can be challenging if you know little about mosquitoes.

Mosquito Infestation – What You Need To Know

Mosquitoes often emerge during the warmer climate and season. They are drawn into bodies of standing water to breed, such as pools, ponds, small containers of water and birdbaths. They lay their eggs on the surface of still water, and these eggs will hatch into larvae within 48 hours. If your home has a number of pools of still water, it’s often best to check and clear them to avoid possible infestation. However, in some cases, pest control in Singapore becomes a necessary option to prevent an infestation at an early stage. After all, it only takes a single container of standing water to attract mosquitoes to your home.

Should you empty your pool, mosquitoes may still find a way to lay their eggs via damp soil in hollow tree stumps, composters and even in water in roof gutters. Hence mosquitoes are a common pest that one can almost find anywhere. So how do you exactly eliminate mosquitoes without resorting to a pest control company in Singapore? What is the most effective way to avoid a possible infestation at your own premise?

Pest Control 101 – A Simple Guide To Protect Your Home & Eliminate Mosquitoes

Mosquito bites can be both dangerous and annoying. If you are encountering multiple mosquitoes at home, here are a few actions you can take:

Use insect repellent to prevent mosquito bites

The most common way to avoid mosquito bites is to use over-the-counter insect repellent. Insect repellent products come in various forms, and many people can find the right one that works for them. Some may resort to DIY, while others use synthesised plant oil base spray or lotion. While it’s a different approach than killing them with an insect spray or pest control services, they can keep insects off from touching/biting your skin or through cloth, especially mosquitoes.

Discard or eliminate unwanted containers of water

As we have mentioned earlier, mosquitoes are attracted to sources of standing, still water. While you cannot control and eliminate sources, such as ponds on your property, you can still limit and hinder their breeding by removing unused bottles, tin cans, containers, trash and buckets that hold water. Also, consider cleaning up plant saucers and debris in your house or property to remove possible small stagnant water pools.

Make water move within the pond or pool

Stagnant water is still a breeding ground for mosquitoes, so what do you do with your pond and pool? To deal with your pond and pool (since you don’t want to end up poisoning them with pest control products), ensure that the pond is moving by installing an agitator or fountain.

Always check your pet’s drinking bowl

Pet drinking bowls are still enough for female mosquitoes to lay their eggs on, even if it holds a small amount of leftover rainwater. To prevent mosquitoes, consider bringing them inside your home or leave them turned over when your pet does not use them for a while or when it’s raining.

Repair sources of leaks inside your home

While leak repair and pest control services entail expenditure, they are the best way to prevent the possible onset of the infestation, especially for cockroaches, termites and mosquitoes. Leaky pipes can attract numerous pests since they create a standing water pool which mosquitoes can use to lay eggs.

Clean your roof gutters and ensure they are free-flowing

Apart from repairing broken pipes for leaks, one should also give proper attention to their gutters as part of home maintenance. During the rainy season (or heavy rainfall), debris such as twigs and leaves can fall through to your gutter, causing a clog in the waterways. Clog-up rain gutters can create a pool of standing water that attracts more mosquitoes.

Learning The Diseases That Mosquitoes Often Transmit

Being a tropical region where Dengue cases can skyrocket, Singapore is not strange for dealing with mosquito diseases. While pest control services are the usual kill method for eliminating mosquitoes, households should still be knowledgeable about the possible viruses that mosquitoes often transmit in every bite. Understanding the risk helps bring awareness and urgency to stop mosquito infestation and prevent the rising of dengue and Zika cases.

Without further ado, here are the most common diseases that mosquitoes often transmit:

Dengue

Dengue is one of the most common and deadly viruses carried by the Aedes Aegypti variant (which often bites during daylight hours). Dengue is transmitted from one person to another via infected mosquitoes. It is a must to see a doctor if you have dengue fever and consider opting for a pest control company if you suspect one of your household members is infected.

Zika

Zika is another type of virus carried by Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes. While Zika and Dengue often share the same symptoms, Zika often leads to birth defect cases, whereas Dengue leads to hemorrhagic fever and death.

Chikungunya

Chikungunya is a virus that often causes fever and joint pain, including muscle pain, joint swelling, headache and rashes. While there’s no vaccine and antiviral treatment for the virus, wearing mosquito repellant and opting for pest control services or products can prevent the Chikungunya virus.

Malaria

Malaria is another deadly disease that destroys red blood cells and causes anaemia and jaundice. Anopheles mosquitoes transmit Malaria, and they often bite at night. If you or your loved ones are experiencing symptoms of Malaria, it is critical to seek immediate medical attention.

If you are looking for pest control or car fumigation in Singapore, visit Ridpest for residential and commercial pest control services.