Should You Treat for Mosquitos in the Fall?
So, should you treat for mosquitoes in the fall? I’m looking out my window as I write this, watching Berger Hargis apply a mosquito treatment. Yes, mosquito treatment on September 9th. But isn’t that a little late in the year? No, because my first treatment was late spring, and there’s good reason to do it again early fall. It’s not only that, due to flooding in central Indiana, the mosquitoes are swarming, but it’s just a good idea any year, flooding or not.
“Indiana saw record amounts of rainfall in August, resulting in flooding across the state. These rain events and flooding, along with a warm start to September, have created the perfect storm of conditions for a large boom in mosquito populations. Although flooding itself may temporarily wash away some mosquito larvae, the standing water left behind as floodwaters recede can provide abundant new breeding habitat. Floodwater is one of several important mosquito breeding environments in Indiana, along with woodland pools, slow-moving streams, ditches, marshes, and the edges of lakes. Mosquitoes don’t just disappear when summer ends they can remain active well into September, October, and even November.” — Purdue Extension
Should You Treat for Mosquitoes in the Fall?
Cold Weather Doesn’t Kill All Mosquitoes
Most mosquitoes die when temperatures drop below about 50°F. However, some enter diapause. It’s like a hibernation for insects. Others hide anywhere warm, like your basement or crawlspace. Even storm drains can be warm enough to lay winter-hardy eggs that hatch in hoards in the spring.
Also, here in central Indiana it doesn’t always get cold in early fall. The average is a high of 78 and a low of 57 — National Weather Service. It often doesn’t sink below 50 until October, if then.
The longer it stays wet, humid, and mild, the longer the mosquitoes bite and the more they reproduce. The reproduction cycle for mosquitoes from egg to adult can be as short as 7 days, and one female can spawn from 1 to 3 thousand offspring. Holy bug bite!
What’s the Buzz?
I don’t know about you, but I love being outdoors in the fall. I lounge in my backyard, which adjoins a small wooded hill, cook over my wood fire, hike Eagle Creek, and spend time walking Speedway parks. All of which make me a buzz target.
Another consideration is that fall treatment shrinks overwintering mosquitoes, so there are fewer biting ear-buzzing bugs in spring!
The Bottom Line
Early Autumn mosquito treatments are effective. They not only fight the buzz in the fall but decrease spring mosquito populations. If you’d like to take the bite out of mosquitoes this fall, Berger Hargs can help.
How Can We Help You?
Berger Hargis has a company philosophy of providing personal excellence for all our services. Our growth and success have been due entirely to our commitment to honest, excellent customer service. Therefore, the company is built on the referral business we have received due to this philosophy.
If we can answer any questions about your mosquito treatments, please don’t hesitate to Contact Us.
About the Author
Randy Clark is a speaker, coach, and author. He can be found at RandyClarkLeadership.com. Randy is passionate about social media, leadership development, and flower gardening. He’s a beer geek, and on weekends, he can be found fronting the Rock & Roll band Under the Radar. He’s the proud father of two educators; he has four amazing grandchildren and a wife who dedicates her time to helping others. Randy is the author of the Amazon bestseller The New Manager’s Workbook, a crash course in effective management.
If you enjoyed this, you may also like Controlling Mosquitoes.
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