Why Seeing Mosquitoes After Service Doesn't Mean It Failed

After many evenings of being bitten by mosquitoes on your porch, you took action. You called a pest control company and they came to treat your property.

Two days later, a mosquito lands on your arm. Does that mean the mosquito treatment isn’t working?

It’s a good question. But seeing a few mosquitoes after service doesn’t necessarily mean something went wrong. Here’s why.

Mosquito Treatment Reduces Mosquito Populations, But Can’t Eliminate Them

Professional mosquito control is very effective at controlling mosquito populations. But it’s not perfect. In fact, a good outcome means seeing about an 85-90% reduction in mosquitoes.

Even though it doesn’t imply the total elimination of all mosquitoes, that’s still a huge change. It’s dramatic enough to notice a difference within even 48 hours of treatment. And if you don’t notice a difference in that time frame, it’s reason enough to call the pest control company again.

Mosquito barrier treatments work by coating vegetation, shaded areas, and other surfaces where mosquitoes rest during the day. When mosquitoes land on the treated surfaces, the product gets on the mosquito and knocks them down. You can’t stop the mosquitoes from flying around, but you can largely stop them from resting on your property.

That means that a few mosquitoes will still show up, especially right after application since the treatment hasn’t had time to take effect.

New Mosquitoes Fly In (Or Are Born)

Your property doesn’t exist in isolation. Within the Richmond metro area, there is the James River, local creeks, agricultural land, and plenty of wooded areas. All of which sounds like a good place for mosquitoes to call home.

Even if your yard is treated perfectly, mosquitoes from untreated neighboring properties, nearby waterways, and wooded areas will fly onto your property. Some mosquito species travel one to two miles seeking out a blood meal. When they land on treated vegetation, the barrier can do its job. But you might see them flying around before that happens.

On top of that, any mosquito eggs that were already in your yard before the treatment will continue hatching. The barrier will take them out when the new mosquitoes emerge and land on treated surfaces, but there’s a short lag period where newly hatched mosquitoes are active before they make contact with treatment.

This tends to be worse after rain, too, since mosquitoes breed in standing water. Even a single bottle cap is enough to start the next generation.

How to Tell If Everything Is Working

Over time, what you want to see is a meaningful reduction in mosquitoes. If you were getting swarmed every time you stepped outside, but now you only see the occasional mosquito, then the treatment is working as it should.

If you’re working with a new pest control company and you want to know if it’s effective, you’ll usually be able to tell within 48 hours. If not, it’s worth a phone call to ask for retreatment.

Still Seeing Mosquitoes in Central VA?

Mosquito Squad of Central VA backs every treatment with a100% satisfaction guarantee. If mosquitoes return in force before your next scheduled treatment, contact the office. We'll come back and retreat your property at no extra charge within the 21-day treatment window.

The treatment is working even when you see the occasional mosquito. Those mosquitoes are being exposed to the barrier and won't last long. The goal is population control, and that’s exactly what you’re getting.

Have questions about what to expect after a treatment? Call Mosquito Squad of Central VA at (804) 409-2710 orcontact us online for a free quote.