Loading ...Author: Doug Morse
Many flying insects that are a problem to homeowners are actually members of the fly family. The order “Dipterans” includes all the flies, the gnats and mosquitoes. In addition to the hundreds of species of flies, moths (members of the Lepidoptera family) may be attracted by outdoor lights and become an occasional pest. Bees and wasps (Hymenoptera) may build nests on or near the house.
The bad news is that your pest control professional can do very little to control flying insects. In fact, our contract for pest control services states very specifically that we do not offer control of flying insects. That doesn’t mean that we will do nothing to help if you call, but it does mean that whatever help we can give will be limited in nature and that we cannot guarantee any particular level of control.
The products that we apply around and inside your home work by contacting the target pest. If an ant or cockroach crawls across a surface we have treated, there is a pretty good chance it will either kill or repel the insect. However, when a flying insect, such as a fly or mosquito, flies over the areas we have treated there is no contact with the product. The insect can move freely in an area we have treated and suffer no ill effects. Therefore, the best hope for control of flying insects rests in elimination of harborage/food sources and sealing entries into the structure.
Mosquitoes are members of the fly family. With their piercing and sucking mouthparts they pierce the skin of their host and then suck out a blood meal. This meal is a critical part of the mosquito’s reproductive process. Mosquitoes are known vectors of many serious diseases including encephalitis, yellow fever and malaria. Equine encephalitis has been a serious problem in our area.
Control of mosquitoes is like control of most other flies. Eliminate the source of the insects and exclude any others that show up. Mosquitoes are unique among the flies in that they lay their eggs in water. Because of this it is important that any standing water on your property be eliminated. Careful attention should be paid to areas of poor drainage, flower pots, old tires, or any other area where rain water or irrigation water may accumulate and remain undisturbed for long periods. If you have a pond or other water feature you can reduce mosquito problems by introducing Mosquito fish. These small fish are very efficient when it comes to seeking out and eating mosquito larvae before they have a chance to hatch into a biting adult.
Gnats are more nuisance than economic pests. Fruit gnats are small, vegetable eating flies that reproduce rapidly in the presence of warm temperatures and adequate food supplies. The Fungus gnat (pictured at left) feeds on the spores of certain fungi that may be present in times of high humidity or where watering practices have encouraged their development.
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About the author:
Doug has worked in the pest control industry since 1973. He received his first license for pest control while stationed in Massachusetts with the U.S. Army. He currently holds California Operator’s licenses in General Pest Control and Wood Destroying Organisms, as well as a Field Representative license for Structural Fumigation. Doug has written several courses that have been approved by the Structural Pest Control Board for continuing education.