Quick Facts
Singapore is no stranger to mosquitoes. Arguably the deadliest pest in the country, the tropical climate of high humidity, hot temperatures and steady rainfall all year around ticked all the boxes for the perfect breeding ground for these tiny insects.
Common species
Aedes Aegypti
Otherwise known as the yellow fever mosquito, the Aedes Aegypti originated in Africa but can now be found in tropical, subtropical and temperate regions, Singapore included. Its white markings on its legs are characteristic of the said insect. Whilst it generally takes up to 8 to 10 days to fully mature, its incubation period may shorten if the temperatures increased. This is especially concerning as these mosquitoes are vectors for transmitting several tropical fevers, such as yellow fever and dengue.
In 2020 alone, Singapore hit an all-time high in dengue death toll where a total of 28 people succumbed to this deadly disease.
Aedes Albopictus
Also known as the Asian tiger mosquito, the Aedes Albopictus is endemic to southeast Asia. Similar to the Aedes Aegypti, the Aedes Albopictus is a vector for the transmission of many viral pathogens, such as Chikungunya and dengue fever. Rather than living in the wetlands, these mosquitoes often live with humans as it has managed to successfully adapt to our domestic environment in the suburban and urban areas.
Anopheles Maculatus
Previously considered the only member of the Maculatus species, the Anopheles Maculatus is a vector of Malaria in countries in the Malay Archipelago. It prefers to breed in water pockets formed on the bank of rivers and waterfalls.
Anopheles Sundaicus
Similarly, the Anopheles Sundaicus are vectors of Malaria in the Malay Archipelago. Since they are predominant coastal species, these pesky pests are breed in both fresh and saline, and are typically found in fish and prawn ponds near the coast.
Culex Quinquefasciatus
Largely found in the tropics and sub-tropics, the Culex Quinquefasciatus is an urban mosquito found in close association with man, especially in urban areas. These mosquitoes feed at night and are attracted to lights. They prefer organically polluted waters such as ground puddles, small receptacles containing contaminated water. and drains with sullage water. The Culex Quinquefasciatus are also vectors of several pathogens, including Lymphatic Filariasis, Zika virus and West Nile virus.
Sign of infestation
Mosquitoes are found in various habitats, but these insects are mainly concentrated near sources of standing water. They require standing water (at least 1 inch deep) for female mosquitoes to lay their eggs in and reproduce. Some also lay their eggs in moist soil and these eggs will hatch once the soil is flooded with water. The female mosquito can lay up to 200 eggs at one time, which means that an infestation can easily get out of hand if not careful.
As such, the prevention and control measures often include removing any standing water in the home.
How to get rid of this?
Adult Mosquito Control
The external compound will be thermal fogged to:
- Eliminate the existing presence of adult mosquitoes.
- Leave a layer of residual preparation at the surrounding plants to tighten control.
For optimal effectiveness, one is encouraged to regularly engage in such services to keep the situation under control as there is a risk of cross- infestation of mosquitoes, seeing as how they are an airborne insect.
Mosquito Breeding Solution
Before the treatment is carried out, mosquito breeding or potential breeding areas are to be identified first. This treatment is performed when physical correction to the irregularity is impossible.
Similarly, one is encouraged to employ such services regularly for optimal effectiveness.
** Additional mosquito control solutions are not covered for reinfestation conditions as mosquitoes are considered to be airborne pests.
Water Based Misting
As a form of fumigation treatment, water based misting is a treatment that works to eliminate airborne pests found within the premise or inaccessible areas, for instance, cracks and crevices. The fog particles are small enough (around 25 microns) to penetrate through such hard-to-reach areas, providing it with thorough coverage. It also possesses a low toxicity level and thus, will not pose any detrimental health effects to the surrounding public. That said, customers will need to exercise caution and be aware that the ventilation period of 30 mins to 1 hour has to be adhered for health and safety compliance purposes.