Ever wondered why it seems worse for mosquitoes in your backyard than in your neighbours’ who live on the same street as you? Mosquito density is very localized in Altamonte Springs. A few examples of specific conditions are all that a field full of mosquito traps needs in order to send the number of mosquitoes per yard into wildly different directions, even between two yards side by side.
Understanding why that difference exists is a much better context to help you address it. Avata Pest Control has custom mosquito control plans based on Altamonte Springs special terrain and water-rich environment when the problem is already out of hand.
Altamonte Springs Is Built for Mosquito Activity
Seventeen named lakes and nearly six miles of the Little Wekiva River run through Altamonte Springs’ city limits. That is a lot of natural water infrastructure for a small city in Seminole County. The combination of densely populated residential areas with parks and lakes makes Altamonte Springs more attractive to pests – all year long.
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Factor in Florida’s rainy season from May to October, along with the warm temperatures in Seminole County, and you already start above the natural homeostasis for mosquitoes before any conditions of your yard come into effect. Like many other southeastern states, Florida suffers a disproportionate burden of mosquito-borne disease, with at least 84 species of mosquitoes active across the state.
The Single Biggest Factor: Standing Water
Mosquitoes in Florida can breed even in small amounts of standing water. It can take as little as a bottle cap of water, or often far less, depending on the species, to yield new biting adults within about a week. Really, anything that holds still water can become a breeding ground — birdbaths, bromeliads, old tires, buckets, and clogged gutters.
As little as one blocked gutter, bird bath, or potted plant tray can breed hundreds, if not thousands, of larvae in a few days. Such is the magnitude of the problem. And especially in Altamonte Springs, where afternoon storms are customary, and homeowners who irrigate often keep their yards so wet there can be standing water in places most will never think to check.
The most common culprits in Altamonte Springs yards include:
- Gutters blocked: one of the biggest and most missed places that mosquitoes embed into any property
- Plant saucers and pot trays: harvested rainwater & sit stagnant for a week
- Bromeliads: found everywhere in Central Florida landscaping, their tank-like midsection collects water and is a known mosquito breeding ground
- Low spots in the lawn: yards with inadequate drainage form small puddles of water after every rain that require several days to dry out
- Tarps, toys, and outdoor furniture covers: any surface that collects and retains water creates a breeding ground
Health Risks That You Should Not Ignore
Altamonte Springs mosquitoes are not merely a nuisance. They are an actual threat to public health.
The aggressive day biters, the Asian tiger mosquito and the yellow fever mosquito are vectors of the Zika virus as well as dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever. They feed only on humans, and it was estimated that their life cycle took seven to ten days from egg to adult.
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The majority of disease-carrying mosquitoes stay close to home, rarely more than 200 yards (183 meters) from where they were hatched. That closeness to mosquitoes makes yard-level mosquito control truly significant from a health perspective, rather than simply a comfort one.
When Yard Modifications Are Not Enough?
The DIY steps are an important part of taking the pressure off mosquitoes, but in a place like Altamonte Springs, which boasts of seventeen lakes, a river corridor, and luminous warmth to breed year-round, yard changes hardly scratch the surface. Avata Pest Control knows why the mosquitoes of Altamonte Springs spread as they do, the distance to water bodies, the breeding cycles, and the yard conditions that keep mosquitoes swarming between treatments.
Their team of experts can help you better!