Mosquito Sprays in Winter

Are mosquito sprays necessary in winter? Many people who live in the city are unsure about using sprays and other forms of prevention in winter. Many tend to forget mosquitoes in the winter. But once the summer heat really gets going, almost everybody who lives close to water is pestered by these aggravating bugs.

Waterways such as the Chattahoochee and Nancy Creek Rivers and the Sweetwater, Peachtree, and Sope creeks offer ideal breeding habitats for mosquitoes, and anyone living within about 3 miles of them will suffer. So should you use mosquito sprays in winter?

Mosquitoes in Winter

Mosquitoes go dormant when it gets colder than around 50 degrees. Female mosquitoes spend spring and summer collecting your blood to get the protein they need to generate eggs. Once they have the protein they need, they mate and lay their eggs. Female mosquitoes can do this over and over all summer long. But most species stop sucking blood once they are done laying eggs and then focus on sipping nectar in the fall. This gives them a store of sugar to keep them alive over winter. Some species hibernate in a state known as diapause. They seek shelter to stay warm during the colder months. Hibernating mosquitoes can live in hollow logs, drains, cracks in brickwork, downpipes, gutters, and even in your basement until spring comes!

Some species lay their eggs in the fall, and they survive the winter, so they are ready for hatching when the temperature increases in spring. Others hatch in fall, and the larvae wait out the winter until they can emerge in spring.

Mosquito Sprays in Winter

If you use an insecticide spray around your yard in winter, it won’t do much good unless you happen to spray directly onto an insect. Because mosquitoes are not moving around, it is unlikely that the spray will have much effect. In fact, it might even do damage to beneficial creatures such as spiders, natural mosquito predators, and even the amphibians and fish that feed on mosquito larvae and adults.

Spring and summer are when mosquito sprays are most effective. So what to do in winter? Is it worthwhile to do anything until the insects emerge again in the spring? The answer is yes, you can do something. The most significant action you can take in winter is to prepare for spring.

Automatic Mosquito Misting Systems

In other posts, we have explained how you can minimize standing water in and around your yard to reduce mosquito populations. But there is another step you can take during the winter to clear your yard of these pests. Now is a great time to set up an automatic mosquito misting system. Most people wait to contact Mr. Mister until mosquito eggs have hatched and the larvae have developed into biting adults. But if you prepare now, you can get out ahead of the mosquitoes. When you have an automatic mosquito misting system set up before spring, you can:

1. Eliminate mosquitoes as they awaken from their winter sleep.
2. Control mosquitoes that have recently developed into adults.
3. Eliminate from their natural breeding grounds any mosquitoes that have tried to enter your property.

Once spring starts, it could be too late. However, if you do leave it until then, Mr. Mister can still help you install a system and develop a plan to beat mosquitoes. We’ll help you ensure that you can enjoy your yard when you want to. After all, why have a yard if you can’t enjoy it!!

Get more information on mosquito sprays here, and learn how to set up an automatic mosquito misting system. Prevention in winter involves planning ahead rather than dealing with mosquitoes when they’re already biting.

Mr. Mister Mosquito Control

4016 Flowers Rd #400

Atlanta, GA 30360

(404) 941-0720