Are Mosquitoes Dangerous?

Imagine this: warm weather, green trees, and clear skies. Seems like the perfect day, except for one thing: mosquitoes. Every summer, they swarm around you, leaving bites all over your body. One day, after swatting so many away, you wonder: are mosquitoes dangerous?

They bite you constantly and imagine that people with similar problems exist. It only makes sense that this issue concerns you.

Read on to discover the truth behind mosquitoes’ dangers!

Are Mosquitoes Dangerous? 

What threat does a mosquito bite pose? Mosquitoes have bitten nearly everyone, their saliva causing itchy allergic reactions. Annoying, sure, but mosquitoes’ true danger lies in their transmission abilities.

Mosquitoes make for great vectors, or organisms that carry and spread diseases to their hosts (what/who mosquitoes bite). Their flight allows them to infect others very quickly. These pesky insects can transmit:

  • Malaria
  • Dengue virus
  • Zika virus
  • West Nile virus
  • Yellow fever
  • Encephalitis
  • Dog heartworm

Amongst others. 

The World Health Organization estimates that mosquitoes risk transmitting illness to approximately 3.9 billion people internationally.

Preventing Mosquito Bites

Mosquito-borne illnesses certainly cause serious problems, so you should take the necessary precautions to prevent them. Most steps require little to no money or time. Some steps simply only ask you to refrain from completing certain tasks, too.

First, know where mosquitoes like to lay their eggs so you can eliminate them. A few common places include:

  • Tires
  • Bottle caps
  • Toys 
  • Pails/buckets
  • Anywhere with standing water (e.g., birdbaths)

You should also maintain your lawn. This makes it harder for mosquitoes to take refuge in. 

Wear insect repellant and covered clothing (i.e., pants and long-sleeves) outside. Simple steps like keeping dry help prevent mosquito bites, too.

What Should You Do to Treat Mosquitoes and Their Bites?

An ounce of prevention may be worth a pound of cure, but you still need a cure every so often. Fortunately, many mosquito-bite antidotes exist. You can ice itchy bites or create a baking soda-water paste. 

Seek medical attention if your mosquito bite becomes infected or you develop fever or other flu-like symptoms.

Many scientists and companies devise broader solutions in addition to the prevention/treatment methods from earlier. One idea that people have liked involves inserting genes that block disease transmission into female mosquitoes. 

Of course, this means that scientists need to understand mosquitoes’ complex biology. Plus, scientists need to gather a large enough mosquito population that could “pass” such a gene down.

Currently, most companies treat mosquitoes at specific locations, e.g., Disney World.

Mosquitoes and Their Potential Danger

Mosquitoes, nuisances for most, surround so many people’s lives that they hardly think about them. But, as time progresses, you must ask yourself: are mosquitoes dangerous? They put over half of the world’s population at risk for various diseases that cause irreparable damage.

Prevent that from happening to you and your family. Let Mosquito One treat the mosquitoes in your home. Contact us today!

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