Mosquitoes in Jamaica

There are over 3,000 species of mosquitoes in the world and ach year diseases transmitted by mosquitoes (such as malaria, yellow fever, dengue and filarial worms) kill or incapacitate millions of people, primarily those in developing countries located in tropical areas. In Jamaica three species are predominant, they are:

Aedes aegypti:

Bites mostly in the daytime; peak activity in early morning and late afternoon.
Breeding sites: Indoors and out. Water storage drums, tree-holes, tyres, buckets, flower-pots.
Dengue fever, chikungunya, yellow fever and Zika virus.

Anopheles:

Bites mostly at nights and indoors.
Breeding sites: Ponds, wells, cisterns, water storage pots, in and near houses.
Malaria

Culex quinquefasciatus:

Bites mostly at nights and indoors.
Breeding sites: Dirty water, flooded latrines.
Elephantiasis

Description:

Adult mosquitoes are slender, small long-legged flies with narrow, hairy wings and extended mouthparts. The eggs, depending on species, are deposited on water or vegetation in water, in tree holes, and at sites that hold a high potential for flooding.

The mosquito larvae are known as wrigglers because they wriggle around in water as a method of locomotion. When undisturbed, the wrigglers lie just below the water surface and breathe through a tube located on their abdominal end.

Environment and Behaviour:

Adult female mosquitoes require a blood meal in order to produce viable eggs. While feeding, the females inject saliva-containing anticoagulants that prevent the blood from clotting. Because mosquitoes take numerous blood meals, they can acquire disease organisms from an infected host and later transmit those organisms to previously uninfected hosts.

Environmental conditions such as high rainfall and warm temperatures favor mosquito development, increase the level of infection in the reservoir host population, and thereby increase the chance of humans acquiring the disease.

Reproduction:

Male mosquitoes have feathery antennae which they use to locate females. After mating, females require a blood meal in order to produce viable eggs. The female lays her eggs in standing pools of water, but manmade sources can include bird baths, buckets and even mud puddles. Egg numbers vary from species to species but can be as much as over 100 eggs in a single laying. Larvae emerge from the egg and they feed until ready to molt into pupae. After the pupae stage adults emerge onto the water surface where their exoskeleton hardens.

While feeding, the females inject saliva-containing anticoagulants that prevent the blood from clotting. Because mosquitoes take numerous blood meals, they can acquire disease organisms from an infected host and later transmit those organisms to previously uninfected hosts.

Control and Management of Mosquitoes in Jamaica

G.O. ® Pest Control Service will design a plan to reduce the mosquito population by conducting
a thorough property inspection and identifying the kind of mosquitoes causing problems. Once the inspection and identification is complete, your pest management professional will prepare a mosquito treatment plan that provides recommendations and assistance for both source reduction and necessary chemical product use.

Stagnant Water: Eliminate standing water around the property to reduce the numbers of potential mosquito breeding sites. Ideally, this should be a community goal because most mosquitoes can fly long distances.

Exclusion: All doors and windows should fit tightly and remain closed during the peak mosquito activity periods between dusk and dawn. Screening should be no larger than 18 x 18 mesh. Replace screening that has holes or tears.

Insecticides: This type of control is only temporarily effective when applied to relatively large areas. This method of mosquito management is not effective when applied by homeowners to small areas because mosquitoes can fly in from untreated locations.