Introduction
Are whining buzzes and bites blighting your life? Mosquitoes and midges are right up there with the most annoying and creepy insects about. Not only are they blood-drinking parasites, but their bites are also among the most irritating, with the discomfort lasting for days.
Even worse, mosquitoes are capable of transmitting blood-borne diseases – including malaria, dengue fever, and zika. So not just annoying but potentially deadly! With all this in mind, you might be worried if you’re overrun with mosquitoes or just wondering how to get rid of midges outside. If you can’t control them yourself, you might need professional mosquito and midge control.
Here are the ten main pest mosquitoes found in Australia.
- Anophelus farauti
- Aedes aegypti
- Aedes notoscriptus
- Aedes procax
- Aedes vigilax
- Aedes camptoryhnchus
- Coquillettidia linealis
- Mansonia uniformis
- Culex annulirostris
- Culex quinquefasciatus
The Brisbane City Council shared a more general breakdown of the three main mosquito types found in Brisbane.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mosquitoes And Midges
What Are The Differences between Mosquitoes And Midges?
Although they look similar, midges and mosquitoes are distinct creatures. Look closely and you’ll notice the midge has no proboscis. According to Queensland Museum entomologist Christine Lambkin: “They’ve got little mouthparts that look like an axe, incredibly sharp, and they saw a hole quite unlike mosquitos.”
Mosquitoes breed and produce larvae in standing water, but midges live in mud banks until they become adults, making killing the larvae and preventing infestation more difficult.
Why Do They Drink Blood?
To feed their young. Only females bite, and biting mosquitoes and midges gain no nourishment. Female mosquitoes drink blood so their eggs can mature before laying. The blood does not serve as nourishment.
How Do Mosquitoes Choose Their Victims?
Mosquitoes choose who to bite based on scent. For 20% of us, that’s our bad luck. Our sweat emits 340 chemical odours, some of which smell really good to them. Octenol, as well as cholesterol, folic acid, and certain bacteria, are particularly attractive, as is carbon monoxide. They are also keen on potassium, salt, and lactic acid.
Are Midges Prevalent in Brisbane?
Yes. You may well have noticed more midges in your area over the last few years. The Brisbane City Council states that until recently, midges have been a minor nuisance. However, midge appearances have been increasing in the western suburbs.
The Courier Mail reported that midges appeared in 2004. Numbers have been increasing steadily since then and 2016 saw the worst midge problems on the Sunshine Coast in the last 50 years.
Do Mosquitoes in Australia Carry Malaria?
Occasionally, although malaria is no longer considered to be a large risk. 700-800 cases occur each year from travelers infected in other countries.
Diseases Spread By Mosquitoes And Midges
Are Mosquito Bites Harmful?
Yes. Mosquitoes can transmit blood-borne viruses between species. Symptoms tend to develop from 2 days to 2 weeks so if you start to experience flu-like symptoms such as fever, body aches, dizziness, and confusion, go and see the doctor immediately!
Diseases associated with mosquitoes in the Queensland Area include:
Signs Of A Mosquito Or Midge Infestation
If you are having a problem with mosquitoes or midges, the good news is they’re easy to spot. The obvious signs will be the high pitch sound, or swarmed midges, and red, swollen bites. You may also see mosquitoes resting in shady areas, or if you have standing water, you may even be able to spot tiny larvae. Midges tend to swarm in the hours after sunset.
Mosquito And Midge Prevention
You can prevent bites by wearing light coloured clothes, long sleeves and pants in the hours they are most active, early morning, late afternoon and evening. A mosquito repellent with 15-20% DEET should work also.
For mosquitoes, prevent them from getting inside: traditional screens are not effective against midges. You can spray a traditional screen with an aerosol to slow their progress. Neither like moving air also so keep fans running indoors. When outdoors, various mosquito coils and midge control products can be used.
Mosquito Barrier Treatments
If none of this is working, consider a mosquito barrier treatment by a pest control professional. The ‘barrier’ is created around your property by spraying shrubs, foliage, and house walls with pesticide. This can reduce midge and mosquito numbers greatly for up to 6 weeks at a time.
Mosquito And Midge Removal
Professional Inspection
The mosquito treatment plan begins with your pest management professional inspecting your property to identify the problem species. They will prepare a plan that provides recommendations for source reduction and necessary chemical product use. This could include:
- Locate – our staff will prepare a diagram of your property that shows actual or potential development sites. Any standing water on the property will be identified.
- Keep Them Out – our staff may provide recommendations to stop mosquitoes and midges from getting inside the home.
- Eliminate Hiding Spots – our staff may provide recommendations for vegetation management.
Mosquito and Midge Treatments
Some chemical products used to control numbers include:
- Vegetation Treatments – insecticides are applied to vegetation that mosquitoes use for resting.
- Water Treatments – insect growth regulators are applied that prevent mosquito development in their water environments.
- Prevent Eggs From Hatching – microbial insecticide products are applied that cause mosquito mortality in their water environments.
- Fogging – also known as mosquito fumigation. A ‘fog’ containing a synthetic pyrethroid is created by blasting insecticide and water into very fine droplets through a fogging machine.
If there’s one thing that mosquitoes and midges have in common, it is that they’re persistent. If you’re having trouble getting rid of them and you’re anywhere in Brisbane, Southside, Logan City or Redland City, Pest Control Southside can help. They are expert in removing and controlling unwanted infestations, and in keeping you and your family safe and comfortable. Your life will be better with less scratching and less worry.
Make an appointment, get rid of those annoying bites and set your mind at ease!
List of Brisbane suburbs we cover:
Southern Suburbs
Acacia Ridge – Algester – Annerley – Archerfield – Burbank – Calamvale – Coopers Plains – Darra – Doolandella – Drewvale – Durack – Dutton Park – Eight Mile Plains – Ellen Grove – Fairfield – Forest Lake – Greenslopes – Heathwood – Holland Park – Holland Park West – Inala – Karawatha – Kuraby – Larapinta – MacGregor – Mackenzie – Mansfield – Moorooka – Mount Gravatt – Mount Gravatt East – Nathan – Pallara – Parkinson – Richlands – Robertson – Rochedale – Rocklea – Runcorn – Salisbury – Seventeen Mile Rocks – Sinnamon Park – Stones Corner – Stretton – Sumner – Sunnybank – Sunnybank Hills – Tarragindi – Tennyson – Upper Mount Gravatt – Wacol – Willawong – Wishart – Yeerongpilly – Yeronga
Logan City
Bahrs Scrub – Bannockburn – Beenleigh – Belivah – Berrinba – Bethania – Boronia Heights – Browns Plains – Buccan – Carbrook – Cedar Creek – Cedar Grove – Cedar Vale – Chambers Flat – Cornubia – Crestmead – Daisy Hill – Eagleby – Edens Landing – Forestdale – Greenbank – Heritage Park – Hillcrest – Holmview – Jimboomba – Kagaru – Kingston – Logan Central – Logan Reserve – Logan Village – Loganholme – Loganlea – Lyons – Marsden – Meadowbrook – Mount Warren Park – Mundoolun – Munruben – New Beith – North Maclean – Park Ridge South – Park Ridge – Priestdale – Regents Park – Rochedale South – Shailer Park – Slacks Creek – South Maclean – Springwood – Stockleigh – Tamborine – Tanah Merah – Underwood – Undullah – Veresdale Scrub – Veresdale – Waterford West – Waterford – Windaroo – Wolffdene – Woodhill – Woodridge – Yarrabilba
Redland City
Alexandra Hills – Amity Point – Birkdale – Capalaba – Cleveland – Coochiemudlo Island – Dunwich – Karragarra Island – Lamb Island – Macleay Island – Mount Cotton – North Stradbroke Island – Ormiston – Point Lookout – Redland Bay – Russell Island – Sheldon – Thorneside – Thornlands – Victoria Point – Wellington Point