Mosquitoes (showing, work, house)

[Frankie117]

Mosquitoes don't start becoming a pain until the late spring/summer. I noticed that they must have hatched out early this year, but right now they are too tiny to be anything more than a nuisance.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by DvlsAdvc8

This is what people are refering to most often as daddy long legs:

Opiliones - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

As a kid growing up in California we called what Wiki calls Crane Flies, Daddy Long Legs.

They're all the same to a can of Raid.

[Charles]

While we're on the subject, do mosquitoes in the Huntsville area seem to be more of a problem at sunrise and sunset? I have heard this to be the case with mosquitoes. I grew up in Los Angeles and have lived the past two years in Colorado and neither of these has have too many insects.

Or, would someone have to use repellent pretty much all the time during the day?

When are the worst hours of the day typically?
When are the worst months of the year typically?
Probably a dumb question, Are there any regions in the Madison County area that are worse (I guess near marshy/swampy/etc)?

Thanks

[Southlander]

Originally Posted by Charles

would someone have to use repellent pretty much all the time during the day?

You could. Seems kind of extreme, though. Remember that mosquitoes are attracted to scented things like perfume, deodorant, hairspray, etc. Use fragrance free versions, that helps. Of course, some people just seem to attract them.

Originally Posted by Charles

When are the worst hours of the day typically? The hours between 12 and 12! Mosquitoes will attact when they're hungry, which is always. I haven't really noticed any variation with sunset/sunrise or any particular time of day or night.
When are the worst months of the year typically? Spring, summer & fall. March (if it's a warm March) - the first freeze in November.
Probably a dumb question, Are there any regions in the Madison County area that are worse (I guess near marshy/swampy/etc)? You got it. Most of the governments around here have truck-mounted sprayers that dispense a "fog" once or twice a week, all summer. You don't really want to breath that stuff in. Roll your windows up and stay inside until the fog settles - 15 or 20 minutes. Make sure there is no standing water, such as collected in drains, toys etc. They lay eggs in stagnant water.

Thanks

You're welcome!

[NicoleC]

Mosquitoes are also attracted to carbon dioxide, so unless you stop breathing you can't totally repel them. I definitely see the most at sunset and early evening, but they are around all day.

Some people (about half) successfully use B1 (Thiamine) to repel mosquitoes. You can either eat foods high in the vitamin or take it as a supplement.

But really the best repellent is physical. Mosquitoes are why a screened in porch is an essential to any house in the South. Partly for evenings outside and partly as an insect airlock for the house. Tight fitting screens on all window are also an essential, so you can sleep with the windows open and not be an all-night banquet.

[DvlsAdvc8]

It's true that Mosquitos are out more in the morning and evening.

While they are attracted to carbon dioxide, it has also been proven that they are more attracted to certain people than others - though what exactly it is isn't very well known - some difference in body chemistry (pheramones?).

Any repellent with DEET is very effective.

I'm like chocolate cake to mosquitoes. They will all gang up on me and leave the 5 people around me completely alone. I don't find it necessary to use repellant all day, but if I'm out at dusk for substantial time - I can't live without it.

Not something unique to Huntsville, but the whole of the south.

[Reactionary]

The imported, aggressive, disease-carrying Asian Tiger Mosquito bites all day long...

It breeds more in containers than in swamps or marshes, so keeping your yard / neighbor's yard / neighborhood free of standing water in trash, flower pot saucers, tree cavities, and used tires helps to reduce the population

In Alabama there are about 60 different species of mosquitoes to contend with. These range from the beneficial “cannibal mosquito” Toxorhynchites rutilus, which as a larva preys upon other mosquito larvae, to the infamous “Asian tiger mosquito” Aedes albopictus, a mosquito of major medical importance.

3 mosquitoes

...the Asian tiger mosquito, is currently the most invasive mosquito in the world. It is of medical importance due to its aggressive daytime human-biting behavior and ability to vector many viruses, including dengue, LaCrosse, and West Nile.

Spread of the Tiger: Global Risk of Invasion by the Mosquito Aedes albopictus

Originally Posted by More on snakes, ants, ticks, chiggers, etc...

Here you will find information on different pests and vectors. This is a new site and we will be adding more so check back often for updates.

Vector Info

[MonaLisaVito]

Originally Posted by zenjenn

So I am now seeing GIANT mosquitoes, even though I didn't see ANY in the summer? What's up with that?

Fortunately they seem to be the slower, awkward, less-ravenous-for-human-blood variety than the tiny, nasty, ruthless and stealthy bloodsuckers common in the southwest.

But I had to kill one in my shower this morning the size of a golf ball.

They have been out all day long around my house and now there are hundreds of them on my front porch. They don't look like any of the pictures that were posted on this thread. They look like mosquitos on steroids to me. They don't seem to bite though, at least so far, so thats good.

[Keeper]

Here you go.. they are called several different names.

Crane fly - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I have seen them out around my house too in the last few days.

[Crimson1]

We call them mosquitio hawks. The spider we call the Grand Daddy long legs. This is a good web site Harvestman - Daddy Longlegs. Apparently there is another creature this time a real spider that also gets called a daddy long legs Pholcidae: Daddy Longlegs Spider, Cellar Spider.

BTW I saw my first mosquito last night. He was doing his best dracula imitation on my. He won't be bothering anyone else.