The anopheles mosquito is a pest species in the US that is capable of transmitting malaria. In this article, we’re going to take a closer look at this mosquito and how to control it.
How Dangerous Are Anopheles Mosquitoes?
Malaria has been eradicated in the US in the 1950’s, but cases still pop up every now and then in international travelers, so there is a small risk that if a mosquito population large enough picks up the disease, it will be able to spread it in a community.
What Does the Anopheles Mosquito Look Like?
Anopheles mosquitoes do not really stand out in terms of appearance. They are black or dark brown, and they will usually stand at a 45 degree angle on their victim while they are feeding, as opposed to most mosquito species, which will be more or less parallel.
The Life Cycle of the Anopheles
Anopheles have a regular mosquito life cycle. They start off as an egg in a body of standing water, and after two days they hatch into a larva. As a larva, they will eat various organic matter that they find in the water, and a week later, they will be ready to enter the pupal stage. In this stage, the larvae will go through a process of metamorphosis for approximately three days, before emerging as an adult mosquito.
How Are Anopheles Mosquitoes Controlled?
Anopheles mosquitoes are no different than other mosquito species when it comes to control either. Since the anopheles mosquito nests in standing water, a pest control professional will target bodies of standing water in order to remove the infestation.
The procedure can be quick and easy, or it can be quite complex, depending on the source of the infestation. For example, a mosquito can lay its eggs in a bottle cap filled with water, so removing all these small sources of standing water is easy. However, there are situations when a mosquito infestation originates from a nearby lake or pond, and the control procedure can get a little more complex. Depending on whether the water is located on public or private property, different approaches will be needed, but ultimately, larvicides or drainage procedures will have to be used.
For more information on how this mosquito species is controlled, or if you have an anopheles mosquito infestation in or near your home, contact us today.