Mosquitoes

What it looks like

• Slender body, long legs, narrow wings
• Long piercing proboscis (only females bite)
• Iowa's main pests are Culex (West Nile carrier) and Aedes vexans (the aggressive 'floodwater mosquito')

Where you'll find it

• Standing water — even a bottle cap is enough for some species
• Bird baths, clogged gutters, and tarps holding rainwater
• Shaded shrubs and tall grass where adults rest during the day
• Tree holes, rain barrels, and corrugated drainpipes

Behavior & biology

Female mosquitoes need a blood meal to develop eggs. They locate hosts by CO2, body heat, and skin chemistry. Iowa's main species are Culex pipiens (active at dusk, primary West Nile vector), Aedes vexans (the aggressive 'floodwater' mosquito that explodes in numbers after rain), and Aedes albopictus (Asian tiger mosquito, day-biter, established in southern Iowa). Eggs hatch in standing water — eliminating standing water is the foundation of all mosquito control.

Iowa activity calendar

Signs of an infestation

• Bites — that's the sign
• Larvae ('wrigglers') in standing water
• Adult mosquitoes resting on shaded undersides of leaves

Health & property risk

West Nile virus, La Crosse encephalitis, and (rarely in Iowa) Eastern equine encephalitis. Iowa averages 30–80 confirmed human West Nile cases per year. Bites cause itchy welts; severe allergic reactions are possible.

How we treat it

1. 1

   Source reduction walkthrough

   We identify every standing water source on the property — gutters, plant saucers, tarps, kids' toys, corrugated drains. Eliminating these prevents 60-80% of next-generation mosquitoes.

2. 2

   Targeted barrier spray

   We treat shaded foundation plantings, fence lines, deck undersides, and tall grass with a residual product where adult mosquitoes rest. Each treatment lasts ~21 days.

3. 3

   Larvicide for water that can't be drained

   Bird baths, ornamental ponds, rain barrels: BTI (a biological larvicide) kills larvae without harming birds, fish, or pets.

4. 4

   Recurring monthly program

   May through October monthly visits keep populations 80%+ below baseline. Most clients book a season package.

Why DIY usually fails

Citronella candles do almost nothing. Bug zappers kill mostly beneficial insects, not mosquitoes. The two DIY tactics that work: dump every container weekly, and treat tall grass / shrubs along your property's shaded edges.

FAQ