With all the talk about the various diseases carried South by mosquitoes, we thought it time to let you know what kind of mosquitoes you might find around your Adelaide home and how to identify them.
Research out of the Mosquito Research Laboratory at Uni SA has shown that there are 32 different varieties of mosquitoes found in South Australia. Of those, there are six most commonly found.
Research out of the Mosquito Research Laboratory at Uni SA has shown that there are 32 different varieties of mosquitoes found in South Australia. Of those, there are six most commonly found.
Which South Australian mosquitoes carry diseases?
There are two main disease mosquitoes carry in Adelaide, Ross River virus and Barmah Forest virus. From time to time, we may also experience Murray Valley encephalitis or Kunjin virus.
The three most common carriers of disease are:
- Culex annulirostris
- Ochlerotatus vigilax
- Ochlerotatus camptorhynchus
It’s good to know that of these, Culex annulirostris is rarely found in Adelaide. Of the other two, vigilax bites during the warmer months & camptorhynchus in the cooler months and both are only outdoor biters. Vigilax is more commonly found in coastal and mangrove areas.
The three most common carriers of disease are:
- Culex annulirostris
- Ochlerotatus vigilax
- Ochlerotatus camptorhynchus
It’s good to know that of these, Culex annulirostris is rarely found in Adelaide. Of the other two, vigilax bites during the warmer months & camptorhynchus in the cooler months and both are only outdoor biters. Vigilax is more commonly found in coastal and mangrove areas.
 | There is currently no cure and no vaccine for Ross River Virus and symptoms include:
A blood test by a doctor will confirm if you're infected but there is no specific treatment. Most people recover in a few weeks but sometimes symptoms can last for a few months, and in some cases for over a year. Pet owners should note that mosquitoes also carry canine heartworm and can infect your beloved furry friend. |
Preventing mosquito bites
It’s not always practical to stay inside and unfortunately some mosquitoes prefer to live and bite indoors. That means that we need to have a number of things in our tool kit to prevent being bitten.
Mosquitoes are often breed in puddles and don’t like moving water. So we can make sure that our homes and gardens don’t offer them these places, including saucers of water, blocked drains or other places where water collects or pools (tyres, kids toys, wheelbarrows). Some mosquitoes prefer to breed in septic or rainwater tanks and keeping them sealed is the best prevention.
Otherwise, wearing light coloured long sleeved tops and long pants reduces the area mosquitoes can access, using a suitable repellent, and ensuring the window/door screens are in good condition provide you with a last line of defence.
If you’re particularly concerned about mosquitoes, or any other insect, around your home it’s always best to contact an expert. We would like to thank the Uni SA for the information for this article and encourage you to contact the MD Pest Control Team with any other questions.
Mosquitoes are often breed in puddles and don’t like moving water. So we can make sure that our homes and gardens don’t offer them these places, including saucers of water, blocked drains or other places where water collects or pools (tyres, kids toys, wheelbarrows). Some mosquitoes prefer to breed in septic or rainwater tanks and keeping them sealed is the best prevention.
Otherwise, wearing light coloured long sleeved tops and long pants reduces the area mosquitoes can access, using a suitable repellent, and ensuring the window/door screens are in good condition provide you with a last line of defence.
If you’re particularly concerned about mosquitoes, or any other insect, around your home it’s always best to contact an expert. We would like to thank the Uni SA for the information for this article and encourage you to contact the MD Pest Control Team with any other questions.
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