Mosquitoes
There’s no denying it — mosquitoes for most people in the UK are one of life’s little annoyances. You’ve no doubt had more than a few past encounters with this whiny pest while on holiday in sunnier climes, and have likely woken up to find the itchy welts left behind by their bites.
Believe it or not, there are more than 3,500 species of mosquito now known to us, and new varieties are being discovered on a regular basis, though just 34 of these are native to the UK. While many of these native species are capable of transmitting pathogens, cases of serious blood-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue fever and yellow fever are very rare in the UK. Indeed, the vast majority of reported cases are contracted while abroad.
​
However, the combination of increasingly warm summers and high levels of rainfall in Britain are creating ideal breeding conditions for mosquitoes. Consequently, populations have grown a great deal in the past decade, more so in the south east of England where the warmer climate provides a more favourable environment.
​
It is solely the female mosquito that bites humans. This is because of their need of the protein to produce their eggs. Males mainly feed on nectar and similar sweet foodstuffs.
INFESTATION IDENTIFICATION
How to know where the mosquitoes go.
Distinct sound
We all know that sound, the one that makes you accidently clip your own ear just a little too hard. Mosquitoes omit a high pitched buzzing sound as they fly, so keep an ear out.
STAGNANT WATER
Mosquitoes absolutely love stagnant water, they congregate together and also lay their eggs here. The mosquito larvae hatch in the water too, so keep an eye out and try to remove any possible causes of stagnant water.
MOSQUITO SPECIES ENCOUNTERED IN THE UK
Malaria mosquito
The Anopheles mosquito is known universally as the Malaria Mosquito species because it is considered the primary vector of the disease. It is also considered a transmitter of heartworm in dogs.
​
When resting, the stomach area of the Anopheles mosquito points upward, rather than being even with the surrounding surface like most mosquitoes
TECHNIQUES EMPLOYED
Insecticidal treatment
Full Guard uses an integrated, inspection-led approach to pest control, which means it's rare that any two treatments will be the same.
​
Insecticidal sprays and dusts are applied either directly into the nest or in gaps and crevices, this method is extremely effective.
​
Often it is the insect itself that spreads the insecticide back into the nest to reach the rest of the population, allowing the issue to be solved with minimal disruption.
