How Avoiding Moisture Buildup At Home Helps Prevent Dengue

 

How does avoiding moisture buildup at home help in preventing dengue?

1. It destroys dengue habitat
2. It stops mosquitoes from breeding

 

The hot season in the country is at its peak with a smoldering record of 41.2 degrees celsius. Dengue fever is spreading in the Philippines at a faster rate now than any other season. According to a report, there have been 25,000 dengue cases reported in the first six weeks of 2020. This doesn’t come as a surprise because aside from high temperatures, stagnant water is also present everywhere in our country. This becomes conducive for dengue mosquitoes to breed. Prevent dengue by avoiding moisture buildup at home.

Read on to find out how avoiding moisture buildup at home can save your household from the next dengue outbreak.

 

It Destroys Dengue Habitat

Before going into the specifics, be reminded of this basic information. The dengue virus can only be transmitted by mosquitoes in the genus Aedes. The Aedes aegypti is a minuscule, dark-colored mosquito with white leg markings on it. They are the vector mosquitoes that transmit the dengue virus.

The dengue virus is an endemic disease widely spread in places that have a tropical climate like the Caribbean, South America, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands. Once infected, a person can contract a wide spectrum of diseases. This can range from subclinical diseases to severe flu-like symptoms. If not managed properly, it can even result in death.

Dengue mosquitoes can live in multiple areas as long as there is water buildup. For example, if you unintentionally leave your trash can outside uncovered, tiny drops of rain can accumulate and collect at the bottom of the trashcan.

These pesky insects can also live on piles of scrap wood, mop buckets, leaky plumbing, unused shelves, and even worn-out tires. If an item can collect stagnant water, you can be sure that it can be turned into a mosquito habitat. In a typical Philippine household, you will commonly see large blue plastic drums used for storing water supplies. This is one of the prime examples of a shelter for dengue.

Avoiding moisture buildup means eliminating the possibility of harboring dengue mosquitoes. Why? This is because they rely on stagnant water to find food, shelter, protection, and mates for reproduction. They rely on moisture buildup for their whole life cycle!

So remember to keep your gutters clean, seal any water drums, and throw out the remaining water from mop buckets. If you happen to have a pond, clean them regularly. Moreover, if you have pets living in your house, ensure that their food and water bowls are cleaned often. Acting quickly by doing these simple habits is important. Because once a dengue mosquito finds a place to live in, they breed. You don’t want this to happen as the transitioning of a mosquito from an egg is extremely fast.

 

It Stops Mosquitoes From Breeding

If you didn’t already know, the Aedes aegypti likes to live and breed around wet areas, especially water buildups. This is primarily because they breed in water.

 

How They Breed

The process of a male and female dengue mosquito mating can be as quick as six to ten seconds. After the mosquitoes copulate, the female will need to nourish eggs. The male’s seminal fluid, which contains many proteins and peptides, modulates the female’s responses to seek hosts.

This is when the female dengue mosquito will go out and search for people and other organisms to bite. The host’s blood will then contract the dengue virus.

 

How Long It Takes To Hatch

A female mosquito is capable of laying 100 eggs at a time. Mosquitoes lay their eggs directly into bodies of water. Without water, the eggs cannot hatch. Once a female mosquito lays her eggs in water, the eggs will only need 24 to 48 hours to hatch into larvae.

If you look up close, you will be able to see them grow into pupae at the surface of inhabited waters. Once they transition into full-grown adults, they are now capable of flying. A dengue mosquito’s entire life cycle, from an egg to an adult, takes only about a week.

By avoiding moisture buildup at home, you are destroying the chance for dengue mosquitoes to breed and multiply. As much as possible, opt-out of leaving water unattended because mosquitoes will surely take the chance and inhabit it. Eliminating any amount of stagnant water eliminates the possibility of mosquitoes.

 

Key Takeaway

Avoiding moisture buildup will surely prevent the cultivation of dengue mosquitoes in your home because they live and breed in such areas.

While you’re at it, inquire from your local pest experts for a free pest inspection to find out where dengue mosquitoes may breed in your home. Or, prevent other unwanted pests such as cockroaches, rodents, termites, bed bugs, and black bugs from invading your home in general.

Prevent dengue and hire Topbest, the premier pest control service company in the Philippines today. With over 23 years of experience, we are committed to providing the best pest control solutions to both residential and commercial establishments in the Philippines.