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Mosquitoes and ticks: identification, treatment and cost

Tick identification, yard spraying and mosquito control: what the evidence says works, the disease risk, and the cost. 20 guides, sourced to extension services and public records.

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Forest floor with leaf litterMosquitoes and ticks

How Long Do Ticks Live? By Species and Life Stage

Ticks live about two to three years but feed only a few times. How long they survive without a host, indoors, on dogs and on clothes,...

October 18, 2026Lawn edge meeting woodlandMosquitoes and ticks

What Attracts Ticks to You and Your Yard

Ticks follow carbon dioxide, body heat and skin odours, and reach yards on deer and mice. Most live in woods and the unmown edge, not the...

October 18, 2026Pond at dusk with reedsMosquitoes and ticks

What Eats Mosquitoes? Bats, Dragonflies and the Myths

Bats, birds, dragonflies, fish and spiders all eat mosquitoes, but larval predators do most. Where the 1,000-an-hour bat claim came from and what works better.

October 18, 2026Basement with a small window in winterMosquitoes and ticks

Where Do Mosquitoes Go in Winter? Eggs, Basements and Drains

Culex and Anopheles females hide through winter in cellars, culverts and storm drains, while tiger mosquitoes survive as eggs on container walls. A winter biter indoors...

October 18, 2026Living room with a dog bed and wooden floorMosquitoes and ticks

Can Ticks Live in Your House? Which Ones Can and Which Cannot

Which ticks can live and breed in a house, how long the others survive on floors and in bedding, and what to do when you find...

October 14, 2026Bedroom at night with an open window and a fanMosquitoes and ticks

How to Get Rid of Mosquitoes in the House

Kill the mosquitoes already inside, stop new ones getting in and remove indoor water weekly. Which species bites at night, why some winter in basements, and...

October 12, 2026Pots of lavender, basil and lemongrass on a patioMosquitoes and ticks

Mosquito Repellent Plants: Which Ones Do Anything?

No garden plant has been shown to keep mosquitoes out of a yard. What the trials found for citrosa, basil, lantana, catnip and lemon eucalyptus, and...

October 12, 2026Citronella candle burning on a patio table at duskMosquitoes and ticks

Do Citronella Candles Work Against Mosquitoes?

Citronella candles cut bites a little, close up, and not much more than a plain smoky candle. What six trials found, how far they reach, and...

October 12, 2026Electric bug zapper glowing on a porch at duskMosquitoes and ticks

Do Bug Zappers Work? The Insects They Actually Kill

Bug zappers kill thousands of insects a night, but almost none that bite: 31 of 13,789 in one study. Why mosquitoes ignore UV light, and what...

October 12, 2026Still garden pond edge with reeds at duskMosquitoes and ticks

How Long Do Mosquitoes Live? The Life Cycle, Stage by Stage

Adult mosquitoes live about 2 to 4 weeks and males only a week or two, but egg to adult takes just 7 to 10 days in...

October 11, 2026Backyard patio at dusk with string lightsMosquitoes and ticks

What Attracts Mosquitoes to Some People More Than Others

Carbon dioxide, skin carboxylic acids, colour, body size, pregnancy and beer, ranked by the evidence. Why blood type is a weak explanation, and which repellents actually...

October 9, 2026Walker in boots on a grassy woodland trailMosquitoes and ticks

Bugs That Look Like Ticks: Spider Beetles, Bed Bugs and More

Spider beetles, bed bugs, carpet beetles, weevils and clover mites are the usual tick lookalikes. Count the legs, look for antennae, and allow for the six-legged...

October 8, 2026