It's springtime, which means outdoor play, bbqs, hiking, gardening — and mosquito and tick bites. Unfortunately, it’s also prime pest season, which means people and pets are at risk of encountering hungry mosquitoes and ticks that are in search of active hosts. Here are some facts from the professionals at Thomas Pest Services that may surprise you about tick and mosquito presence:

Mosquitoes: Did You Know?
- There are approximately 170 different kinds of mosquitoes in North America alone.
- Only female mosquitoes bite humans, as they need blood to reproduce.
- Mosquitoes will fly up to 14 miles for a blood meal.
- Mosquitoes hunt for food by detecting body heat and the carbon dioxide humans exhale.
- Mosquitoes can develop from egg to adult in 10 to 14 days.

Ticks: Did You Know?
- Ticks typically require 24-48 hours of feeding before they can successfully transmit diseases. If ticks are removed within the first 24 hours, infection is unlikely.
- The appearance of a “bull’seye” rash is often the first sign of Lyme disease. It occurs in about 70 to 90 percent of cases.
- Blacklegged deer ticks can live up to 200 days without food or water.
- Ticks don’t jump or fly — they crawl up low brush or grass to find a passing host.

For homeowners in the Capital District and Adirondack region, Thomas Pest Services offers effective mosquito and tick control. Thomas Pest Services offers three different options for getting rid of mosquitoes and getting rid of ticks.

1. Vector Service: This pest control service is designed to reduce the mosquito and tick populations on your property and to protect you, your family and pets from diseases spread by these pests.

2. Mosquito Baiting: With this unique method of auto-dissemination, the In2Care® Mosquito Trap can kill virtually all mosquito larvae in its surroundings before they can mature into biting adults.
3. Tick Box System: The ticks in your yard are usually brought in on mice and other wild animals, which makes treating rodents for ticks an effective tick solution to reducing ticks in your yard. 

To learn more about all of our green mosquito and tick control services in Albany and throughout our service area, please complete our online form. You can also give us a call at (518) 650-1684 or text us at (518) 213-5673.