United States                Prevention, Pesticides          735-F-98-003
              Environmental Protection         And Toxic Substances          April 1998
              Agency	   :	(7506C)	
              FOR  YOUR  INFORMATION
      Mosquitos:  How To Control Them
Mosquitos and the Diseases They Can Carry

     Almost everyone has had the unpleasant experience of being bitten by a mosquito.
Mosquito bites can cause severe skin irritation through an allergic reaction to the
mosquito's saliva - this is what causes the red bump and itching. But a more serious
consequence of some mosquito bites may be transmission of certain serious diseases such
as malaria, dengue fever and several forms of encephalitis. Not only can mosquitoes carry
diseases which.afflict humans, but they also can transmit several diseases and parasites that
dogs and horses are very susceptible to.  These include dog heartworms and eastern
equine encephalitis.

     There are about 200 different species of mosquitos in the United States, all of which
live in specific habitats, exhibit unique behaviors and bite different types of animals.
Despite these differences, all mosquitos share some common traits, such as a four-stage
life cycle.  After the female mosquito obtains a blood meal (male mosquitoes do not bite),
she lays her eggs directly on the surface of stagnant water, in a depression, or on the edge
of a container where rainwater may collect and flood the eggs. The eggs hatch and a
mosquito  larva or "wriggler" emerges. The larva lives in the water, feeds and develops
into the third stage of the life cycle called a pupa or "tumbler". The pupa also lives in the
water, but no longer feeds. Finally, the mosquito emerges from the pupal case and the
water as a fully developed adult, ready to bite.

Mosquito Life Cycle (about ten times actual size)
          (Eggs)            (Larva)        (Pupa)
      The type of standing water in which the mosquito chooses to lay her eggs depends
upon the species. The presence of beneficial predators such as fish and dragonfly nymphs
in permanent ponds, lakes and streams usually keep these bodies of water relatively free of

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mosquito larvae. However, portions of marshes, swamps, clogged ditches and temporary
pools and puddles are all prolific mosquito breeding sites. Other sites in which some
species lay their eggs include treeholes and containers such as old tires, buckets, toys,
potted plant trays and saucers and plastic covers or tarpaulins.  Some of the most
annoying and potentially dangerous mosquito species, such as the Asian tiger mosquito,
come from these sites.

What You Can Do to Help Fight Mosquitos

** Empty standing water in old tires, cemetery urns, buckets, plastic covers, toys, or any
other container where "wrigglers" and "tumblers" live.

»* Empty and change the water in bird baths, fountains, wading pools, rain barrels, and
potted plant trays at least once a week if not more often.

*» Drain or fill temporary pools with dirt.
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»* Keep swimming pools treated and circulating and rain gutters unclogged.

»* Use mosquito repellants when necessary and follow label directions and precautions
closely.

** Use headnets, long sleeves and long pants if you venture into areas with high mosquito
populations, such as salt marshes.

** If there is a mosquito-borne disease warning in effect, stay inside during the evening
when mosquitos are most active.

** Make sure window and door screens are "bug tight."

** Replace your outdoor lights with yellow "bug" lights.

*» Contact your local mosquito control  district or health department. Neighborhoods are
occasionally sprayed to prevent disease and nuisance caused by large mosquito numbers.
If you have any questions about mosquitos and their control, call your local authorities.
       This information is brought to you by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) in partnership with the American Mosquito Control Association (AMCA).  The
AMCA is a member of the EPA Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program (PESP).
For additional information, please call Dreda A. McCreary, AMCA Media Contact, at
(757) 563-1465. For information on the safe use of insect repellents, please call the EPA
Office of Pesticide Programs, Communication Services Branch, at (703) 305-5017.

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