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The Ultimate Guide to Rodent Control
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Mosquitoes can ruin time outdoors. I’ve battled them in my own yard, testing DIY sprays and traps under thick vegetation. Out of that work came a program mixing topical sprays and IN2Care traps. In this guide, you’ll learn what do mosquitoes look like, how to spot breeding sites, and which treatments work.
Adult mosquitoes measure about 0.25–0.5 inches long. According to Virginia Tech, most common mosquitoes are brown or black with slender bodies and long legs. Their key feature is a needle-like proboscis they use to suck blood. Only females bite; males feed on pollen (Common Mosquito Types in DC: How to Identify Local Species).
The proboscis is a hollow tube under the head. It helps females pierce skin and draw blood.
Some species have white bands on their legs or stripes on the thorax. These markings help ID types like the Asian tiger mosquito.
Here are the main backyard culprits in our region:
Asian Tiger Mosquito (Aedes albopictus)
Black body with a bold white stripe and banded legs. Bites aggressively in daylight. Learn more on avoiding Asian Tiger Mosquitoes.
Asian Bush Mosquito (Aedes japonicus)
Dark body with lyre-shaped white scales on the thorax. Active by day and dusk.
Yellow Fever Mosquito (Aedes aegypti)
Similar to the tiger mosquito but with curved white lines on the thorax.
Northern House Mosquito (Culex pipiens)
Plain brown and medium-sized. Bites at night and breeds in water with organic debris.
Only females transmit disease (Male vs Female Mosquito: Why Only Females Transmit Disease).
Female mosquitoes make a high-pitched buzz in flight. During daylight, they rest under shady foliage, in ivy or crawlspaces. At dusk and dawn, they seek hosts, following body heat and exhaled breath.
Crane flies and midges often get mistaken for mosquitoes:
True mosquitoes fly alone and probe skin. Midges make dense swarms and rarely land. (Source: Crane Flies and Other Mosquito Imposters).
Mosquitoes need water to breed:
Check containers weekly and dump even a teaspoon of water (University of Maryland Extension).
Mosquito numbers rise and fall with the seasons:
As the Washington Post reports, warming trends have added weeks to mosquito season in the Northeast.
You can cut mosquito numbers with these steps:
Learn the full process in The Mosquito Control Process: Reclaim Your Backyard.
Licensed technicians use a backpack sprayer to mist foliage and lower branches with a mix of adulticide and an Insect Growth Regulator. We focus on shady resting spots. In my yard, weekly treatments in June and July dropped mosquito counts by over 50%.
In2Care stations look like simple water tubs with a treated gauze inside. They lure egg-laying females, which pick up a larvicide (pyriproxyfen) and a fungus. When they visit other breeding spots, they spread the larvicide, stopping larvae. The fungus kills adults in days. Monthly service from April to October keeps the network working (In2Care Mosquito Station).
Barrier sprays give quick knockdown but need repeat visits. DIY larvicides and source reduction cut numbers over time. In2Care offers a low-impact way to treat hidden spots without spraying everywhere.
Post-treatment, count fewer adults on warm evenings and check water sources for no wrigglers. Adjust trap locations or add spray visits based on what you see.
Keep inspecting new containers, refill birdbaths every few days, and move debris piles each spring. Reposition traps before high-tide or heavy rain seasons.
Before: dense groundcover and standing water in plant trays. Mosquito counts soared.
After: we removed trays, trimmed ivy, ran monthly In2Care service, and sprayed foliage. Bites dropped by 80%, and evening barbecues returned.
Ready to learn more? Call Better Termite & Pest Control at 703-683-2000 or email [email protected] to get an expert estimate today.
Adult mosquitoes range from 0.25 to 0.5 inches, about the size of a pencil eraser.
Larvae look like tiny wriggling worms near the water surface. Pupae float like small commas.
Female Aedes lay single white eggs on container walls. They look like tiny grains of rice.
Females have a long proboscis and bite. Males lack that needle-like mouthpart and sip nectar.
Aedes species bite in daylight. Culex mosquitoes prefer dusk, night, and dawn hours.
Look weekly for standing water in toys, flowerpot trays, gutters, and birdbaths. Any water can hatch larvae.
In2Care can cut populations significantly by reaching hidden spots. No method removes every mosquito. You may still use repellents and source reduction.
With five years of hands-on experience in the pest control industry, George Schulz is a registered technician with the Virginia Pest Management Association and a proud third-generation professional in a family business that’s been protecting homes for over 57 years. He manages and trains a team of service pros while also leading internal research efforts—recently spearheading a deep-dive review of thousands of documents on pest control materials to hand-pick the most kid and pet friendly, most effective solutions tailored specifically for homes in the DC metro area. Read his bio.
