Murder the Mosquito

By Christina Mann, Wildlife Biologist

Here in Eddy County, the two nights of soaking rain in early June 2026 were slightly unusual but very welcome. However, those rains signaled the official start of mosquito season. Flying with their annoying whine, they are most active at dawn or dusk. Only female mosquitoes produce the characteristic whining sound when they fly, as it is related to their wing-beat frequency. Male mosquitoes do not make this sound. People rightfully swat at the whining insects, while silence is golden.

It is also a fact that only the female mosquitoes bite, as they require blood meals to produce eggs. Males feed on plant nectar and other natural sugars. After the female gets a blood meal and breeds with the short-lived male, the female needs a source of standing water to lay her eggs in. Almost any standing water can support mosquito development, including sources you might overlook, such as plant pots, stacks of tires, bird baths, and clogged gutters.

It takes less than a week for the wriggling larvae to hatch into hundreds of flying bloodsuckers. Some folks have never stopped to look at the surface of standing water while the day is still and observe that it is alive, wriggling, as developing larvae rise to the surface to breathe.

Likewise, there are differences in people who are noted to be more susceptible to the biting plague than others, a fluke of body chemistry, high sugar content in the blood, or the exhalation of more CO2 than another person of similar body size.

Studies have shown that the consumption of beer and bananas makes a person more attractive to the blood suckers, as well as some fermented foods and cheeses. Conversely, garlic and onions repel mosquitoes but also have the same effect on polite society. Dark clothing is also more attractive to mosquitoes, while light or white clothing is less likely to attract the biting hordes.

Should you slap a mosquito sucking your blood or wave it away? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, when you get bitten by a mosquito, the bug injects saliva into your body through its proboscis. That saliva contains an anticoagulant and keeps your blood flowing so the sucker can get a hearty meal with which to develop her eggs. The toxins in that saliva are thought to be what makes their bites feel warm and itchy.

The second reason you don’t want to scratch: the more you scratch, the itchier the bite becomes. Your body releases a wave of histamines and other compounds in an immune response. This reaction varies from person to person and bug to bug, which is why some people develop significant swelling and soreness while others barely notice. Regardless of how you react to mosquito bites, doctors agree that the one thing you shouldn’t do when you get a bite is to scratch it.

The best deterrent to preventing ‘skeeter nurseries is dumping out standing water sources. Shallow ponds are problematic, while fast-moving water does not provide the environment the larvae need to develop.

In cases like animal troughs or other water tubs that serve a necessary purpose, a common product to prevent mosquito larvae is called Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (BTI), often sold as “Mosquito Dunks” or granules at garden stores. It affects mosquito larvae but does not harm fish, birds, or most other insects. In fact, mosquito dunks don’t harm honeybees because bees can’t get sick from BTI.

Some agricultural offices provide live mosquito fish to landowners, but I haven’t found them available in Eddy County. Both the city and county have trucks that fog roadsides and yards at dawn in the early spring. Beekeepers like me are aware and have our apiaries listed as no-spray zones with the Fieldwatch, Inc. registry. This mosquito spray is carefully applied and is responsible for the lack of malaria and other debilitating diseases that were common in this country in the 19th century.

In conclusion, a little bit of knowledge and some prevention of standing water can make our backyard cookouts or relaxing porch swings in the evening way more enjoyable without the biting insects.