Ask entomologists in the Northeast or Midwest about mosquito season. They’ll agree that it generally runs from May through September. Ask any Florida mosquito control specialist, and they’ll tell you it covers nearly all 12 months on the calendar. The bugs thrive year-round here in the Sunshine State. As happy natives, we’re used to it, but do you know why our mosquito season never ends?
Blame Our Warm Weather
Thanks to the Gulf of Mexico on our west coast and our balmy southern latitudes, our typical winter temperatures average well above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s also above the minimum threshold for keeping mosquitos warm enough to mate, reproduce, and thrive.
Even when we enjoy a cold snap, most mosquitoes find ways to acclimate. These adaptable pests are usually females with strong survival instincts that drive them into protected spaces outside your home. They remain dormant until spring, when warming temperatures stimulate their voracious appetites.
The Rain Helps
For every mosquito you swat during December, countless others are waiting to take its place. Our humid environment and lush landscape serve as a breeding ground for more than 80 mosquito species that spend winter as larvae.
Mosquito eggs are almost invisible in deep, wet grass, and small puddles, and they ride out the cold in ponds and neglected swimming pools. The aquatic larvae eventually hatch when spring rain floods the eggs, but severe weather can release swarms of mosquitoes from early fall through winter.
They’re a 12-Month Problem
Because different species make our state their home, we have to deal with multiple life cycles throughout the year. The easiest and most efficient way to combat this 12-month problem starts with professional mosquito control, but you can practice simple preventative strategies around the house.
- Don’t let water collect in outside containers.
- Repair leaky outdoor faucets.
- Keep gutters and downspouts clean.
- Regularly flush out water features.
- Don’t let water collect in outside containers.
- Repair leaky outdoor faucets.
- Keep gutters and downspouts clean.
- Regularly flush out water features.
You can’t change the weather, but your DIY efforts can go a long way to helping control our state’s mosquito population.
We’re Here Year-Round Too
Ask anyone who lives here what they love most about our state, and they’ll put beautiful weather at the top of the list. Ask them how they handle mosquitoes swarming around their homes, and they’ll recommend contacting our teams here at McCall Services. Florida residents know they can count on us for expert pest control year-round.
