How To Check For Mosquitoes In Terrace House?

No one likes being in a place with mosquitoes. The presence of these small vampires causes a lot of worry because of the diseases and discomfort they bring. Mosquitoes can cause rashes and transfer harmful diseases such as the West Nile virus (WNV). It is essential to take the necessary precautions to keep every family member and pet safe. Every family in Singapore would do anything to get rid of mosquitoes in their homes. Parents get so much worried when they see a mosquito bite on their children. Though it is hard to escape these pests completely, you can take vigilant measures to prevent them from infesting your terrace house.

If you have been having a mosquito problem in your house, consider planning for a hunt down for these pests. For you to succeed in your quest, you must know how to check for mosquitoes in your home. It is well known that mosquitoes breed in bodies of standing water, but it’s so elusive to track down the breeding areas. People often rush to think that these breeding grounds have to be ponds or the easy-to-see stagnant water outside their homes. There are very many potential mosquito hatcheries and being able to identify them is the first step towards keeping your house safe from mosquito infestation. Below are some of the areas you should check for the presence of mosquitoes:

Outside the house
1. Your trash can –
If your trash can has been outside for some time, it is highly likely that dew and rain water has collected at the bottom of the can. That water is enough for a mosquito to start a family. The trash can should be tightly lidded to avoid collection of water or a hole could be drilled at the bottom to drain water.
2. Trash –
Any kind of trash that hold some rain water could be home to the mosquitoes that are disturbing your family. This trash could be in the places you don’t pass by regularly or think about. Old mob buckets, a pile of lumber scraps, hub caps and tires are the trash we are talking about. To check for mosquitoes, patrol your house after every rainy period and make sure you drain anything that has collected water. It is also a good idea to keep such items overturned so that they don’t cause mosquito problems later.
3. Pipes and hoses –
Open pipes and hoses can have water inside if they don’t get flushed very often. If these pipes connect to the inside of your house, they might be the source of your misery. Check for unused hoses and pipes in your home and make sure you flush and seal them.

4. Pet water dishes and bird baths –
Sometimes the comforts we provide for our favourite animals also serve as breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Check for the water in the bird bath and water dishes. Is it changed every day? Changing the water daily is enough to keep mosquitoes away. The bird bath can be hit with a high-pressure garden hose.
5. Pitcher plants and plants that can collect water near your house –
Though these plants are known to be carnivorous (they eat insects and bugs), they can provide another spot for breeding of mosquitoes. Other plants that can collect water and stumps of hollow trees also make ideal breeding spots. They could be the reason you never lack mosquitoes in your home even after making sure you there is no stagnant water around.
Inside the house
Mosquitoes can develop indoors. Residents of an old building in the city once had a mosquito problem. They were being bitten when inside their houses even though they could not find the source of the mosquitoes. Residents in adjacent buildings were not complaining about mosquitoes. The 5-decades old apartment buildings had boiler rooms that were no longer used and had been blocked off. An underground spring had been feeding the rooms with water. A small window near the ceiling was allowing mosquitoes and debris to get inside. Adult mosquitoes found their way out of the room through the window up to the used rooms. The residents were literally living on a grand indoor mosquito swimming pool.

Look for mosquitoes in the unseen areas of standing water. Laundry rooms, bathrooms, sump up pits and basements that are no longer used could be the cause of your indoor mosquito bites. A half-full bucket of water left in an unused room can breed enough mosquitoes to infest the whole house. Also check under AC units, refrigerators and drip pans in your dehumidifiers.

Potted plant containers could also be potential mosquito breeding grounds. I once had a plastic pot with drain holes. It had been placed inside a more appealing ceramic container. When I removed the pot from the container, some water had collected at the bottom of the ceramic container. My search for the cause of my indoor mosquitoes stopped there. I found plenty of mosquito larvae and pupae. Check your plant holders. A female mosquito could have found her way into your house, found some standing water in such a spot and lay her eggs.

Your fish tank is not completely free of mosquitoes especially if it doesn’t have fish. But how can mosquitoes survive in a tank with a running filtration system? Mosquito larvae are known to develop in stagnant and still water. Well, there are species that develop in running streams. If the female mosquito is trapped inside and is ready to lay eggs, she will utilise any water she finds. Check for your free fish tanks and keep fish in them. Fish eats any mosquito larvae that can be in the water.

Lastly, check your stove and chimney. Remove the top of your stove and feel lucky if you are not greeted by a handful of mosquitoes. Look up the chimney and check for black clouds of these pests. They might just be waiting to go down the pipe into the cottage.

Checking for mosquitoes in your house will not be the easiest task you’ve ever carried out. You will have to think extensively about all the hidden places in your home. Rarely used places should be your first target. Don’t be scared when you find hundreds of mosquitoes in those areas – be glad that you found them at last. Good luck!