New Jersey is home to 63 different mosquito species. Learn how to prevent them on your property to protect yourself from harmful diseases and viruses.

Because mosquitos are so stealthy in how they feast on your blood, you don’t get much of a chance to inspect them. That means you probably don’t know that there are more than 63 species of mosquitos that live in New Jersey.

Only about one-third of these mosquito species feed on humans. But mosquitos pose a risk to more than just humans. Because they also feed off of animals, they can make animals, including house pets, become quite sick as well.

These mosquitos species vary in many ways, but they share in common that they lay their eggs in water. Here’s some background information on mosquitos and practical tips for how homeowners can prevent harmful mosquitos on their property.

Mosquito Lifecycle

Mosquitos start their lives as eggs that the female mosquito lays in water. Those eggs grow into larvae and then pupae. After about a week, mosquitos become mature adults. The females seek out a blood meal to have the energy to mate, lay eggs, and continue the lifecycle with their offspring.

Adult mosquitos live only about two to three weeks, but because they are always laying eggs, these pests can keep their species going easily.

If you have a water source near you, it’s probably the reason for your mosquito problem. As long as they have a water source, they’ll continue to breed and be a problem throughout the year for you.

How to Prevent Mosquito Problems in New Jersey

Homeowners can take several precautions to reduce mosquitos on their property. Here’s a look at practical steps you can take to avoid having problems on your property.

• Empty or throw out items that hold water like tires, buckets, planters, toys, birdbaths, flowerpot saucers, or trash containers. Also, make sure you don’t have clogged gutters where water pools and allows mosquitos to breed.
• If you have a pool, make sure it’s treated with chlorine so that mosquitos can’t live there. And if you use a cover, remove it regularly so rainwater can’t gather there.
• Smooth out depressions on your property to prevent standing water after storms. You should also mow your lawn and cut down weeds near your house regularly.
• Patch any gaps in your home where mosquitos or other small bugs could find their way inside. Do your best to keep doors and windows without screens closed to prevent bugs from getting inside.
• Hire pest control professionals to treat your property.

Get an expert opinion on mosquito prevention from one of our specialists. Garden State Mosquito and Tick offers a free consultation and property assessment to make recommendations tailored for you. Contact us now to schedule a free property assessment.