Mosquitoes’ Natural Predators – Who Gets Rid of Them in the Wild

Mosquitoes have lived on Earth for millions of years and as they have changed and evolved, so have their predators. While the little pests are resilient, they do have many natural predators. So who are these helpful predators?

• Dragonflies – Dragonflies eat mosquitoes at all stages of their development. Mosquitoes need standing water to development and often do not stray too far from where they hatch. Dragonflies are also known to stay near water. Large populations of dragonflies are known to cut down on the number of mosquitoes in an area because they can easily feed on them before the mosquito reaches maturity.
• Fish – many different types of fish feed on mosquitoes in their egg, larva and pupa stages. One of the most helpful fish to have around when it comes to mosquito control is the aptly named mosquito fish. These fish are only 4 to 7 centimeters long, but they consume a large amount of mosquito larvae. Mosquito fish have been introduced to many parts of the world to combat active mosquito populations, including South America and Russia where they were a major factor in the eradication of malaria.
• Bats – Bats are the only mammals that can fly and are found throughout the world. The majority of bat species feed on insects including mosquitoes. In some areas of the world, people place bat houses on their property as a way to naturally control mosquitoes. While bat houses have been used since the 1900s, some experts wouldn’t recommend them. Although bats do eat mosquitoes, it is less than 1% of their diet. And, maybe it is just me, but I wouldn’t want a bat in my backyard anyway!

Other mosquito predators include purple martins, prey mantises, nematodes and fungi.

When considering mosquito control options, looking to the pest’s natural predators is not your best bet. Professional mosquito control will provide you with better results and the options are plenty.

At Mosquito Squad we have three main forms of mosquito control for your yard. Our most popular service is the barrier treatment, that reduces the area’s nuisance and danger of mosquitos, after application, by up to 85-95%. The mist is applied to foliage around your property and lasts for up to 21 days.

If you would prefer an naturalproduct, our barrier treatment does come in an naturaloption. It acts as a repellent and isn’t as effective, reducing the danger of mosquitoes by up to 80%. Because the natural mosquito mist breaks down more quickly, it needs to be reapplied every 14 days.

Lastly, Mosquito Squad offers misting systems that can be installed on your property. The misting system emits small bursts of mosquito control at times of the day when mosquitoes are at their most active.

If you have any questions, please contact your local Mosquito Squad office.