How To Stop Getting Bitten By Mosquitoes? (Indoor and Outdoor)

What are mosquitoes afraid of?

As a pest control professional company, one of the most common questions we get is, "What are mosquitoes afraid of?" Mosquitoes can't feel fear or emotions like humans, but there are a few things that can deter or discourage mosquitoes from biting people or animals.

What are 3 common methods to control mosquitoes?

There are mainly three ways to control the mosquitoes infestation. Repellents, Remove sources and Block the entrance.

One of the most effective ways to keep mosquitoes away is to use mosquito repellents. Mosquito repellents contain chemicals such as DEET, picaridin, and IR3535 that can mask the smell of carbon dioxide and other chemicals that mosquitoes are attracted to. Applying mosquito repellent will make it harder for mosquitoes to find you and prevent them from biting you. 

Certain scents are also known to repel mosquitoes. For example, citronella, eucalyptus, lavender, and peppermint are scents that mosquitoes don't like. These scents are found in essential oils, candles, and other natural products that can be used to repel mosquitoes. However, it's important to note that these natural products may not be as effective as chemical repellents and may need to be reapplied more frequently.

Another way to reduce mosquito populations is to stop mosquitoes from the very beginning – eggs and larva.  Removing stagnant water sources or at least keep the water flow is a good way to achieve that because mosquitoes lay their eggs in stagnant water. Therefore, removing stagnant water sources such as bird baths, flowerpots and gutters can help reduce bird populations. Mosquitoes like to hide in tall grass and bushes, so cutting grass and leaves is also a good idea. 

These methods can help reduce mosquito bites, but they are not reliable and may not work for everyone. For example, even if you clean all stagnant water or grass in your garden, the mosquitoes outside of your area are still very easy to get into your house, provided the human body is always an attractive food source for them. If you live in an area with a high mosquito population, or if you are travelling to an area where mosquito-borne diseases are prevalent, it is important to take extra precautions such as wearing long sleeves and using mosquito nets to block the entrance like windows and doors as much as possible.

Mosquitoes are not only a nuisance, they can also carry diseases such as Zika virus, Dengue fever, West Nile virus and malaria. To reduce the risk of contracting these diseases, it is important to take steps to avoid mosquito bites. As a pest control expert, we recommend using a combination of mosquito repellents, removing stagnant water sources, and taking extra precautions to keep mosquitoes away if necessary. If DIY methods are not enough to stop the biting of mosquitoes, a professional pest control treatment is advised to stop this pesky little insect from annoying people and pets on your premises. 

What do professionals use to control mosquitoes?

As a professional pest control solution provider, Rentokil applies Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to treat the mosquito problem. 

Mosquito populations can be reduced professionally in several ways. The most common ways are as follows. 

• Water source reduction (removing development sites)
• Larviciding techniques (biological or insecticidal)
• Adulticide applications (for immediate knockdown or sustained adult control)
• Trapping (autocidal, auto-dissemination and physical trapping technologies exist)

Non-chemical mosquito control methods:

• Mosquito lamp: Use the mosquitoes lure device to attract them inside the lamp, this method is chemical-free and highly effective indoors. 
• Mosquito net: Blocking the way for mosquitoes to forage.
• Clean up breeding sources: Eliminate mosquitoes at the source. 

Chemical mosquito control methods:

Mosquito cup

Lure mosquitoes to lay eggs and trap them. The advantage is safety, no need to spray pesticides, and control the larva from the beginning of mosquito lifespan. 

In Rentokil we recommend the In2Care outdoor mosquito trap:

• Made of durable plastic and uses water with an odor lure to attract egg-laying Aedes Mosquitoes. .
• Once inside, mosquitoes contact the specially treated gauze near the water surface and get contaminated with a larvicide and a fungus.
• They then transport the larvicide and contaminate several breeding sites around the Trap. In this way, we effectively kill larvae in small and controlled breeding sources.
• In2Care Traps reduced the number of Aedeseggs and larvae compared to conventional control methods.
• Smart deployment of In2Care traps leads to effective control in high-rise buildings up to 9 floors.

Mosquito fogging

With a mass occurrence, fogging outdoors is the fastest and highly effective way to eliminate mosquitoes. 

• Indoor residual sprays (IRS)
• Resting site applications (RSA)
• ULV (ultra-low volume) applications

Commercial Mosquito Management Programme (CMMP)

Rentokil’s Commercial Mosquito Management Programme (CMMP) is an assessment based, mosquito control programme for small to medium-sized businesses and has been designed with our customer needs in mind. 

Our programme guidelines take into account the climactic and local environments, structural integrity of buildings, disease vectors and nuisance-biting species, size of the treatment area and the budget of our client.

Let Rentokil help you to stay away from mosquitoes

The summer season in Hong Kong is relatively long and there are many different types of mosquitoes, so identifying them correctly will help you to combat mosquitoes in a targeted manner. Even if mosquitoes are not detected, proper mosquito prevention measures can help to plug the loopholes and prevent infestation.

At Rentokil, our technicians have a wealth of expertise and the ability to respond to emergencies. If you notice signs of mosquito breeding, such as a sudden increase in the number of mosquitoes or a large number of bites on your family members or pets, you should seek professional treatment immediately. We provide professional mosquito control services to keep your home and office away from the threat of mosquitoes.

Call Rentokil today at +85229546888 for your home and business premises and we will be determined to arrange a site inspection. Alternatively, you can drop us an enquiry online.