Discover effective strategies for controlling mosquitoes in Hawaii. Learn tips and techniques to keep mosquitoes at bay in Hawaii.
Diseases spread by mosquitoes can be very sick, but you can protect your family and yourself by getting rid of places where mosquitoes can breed near your home. This will also keep mosquitoes from biting you. Avoid getting sick from mosquito bites in Hawaii by following these easy steps.
Stop places where mosquitoes can grow and help get rid of them.
We need to get rid of and keep mosquito breeding grounds from appearing by getting rid of standing water near our homes, neighborhoods, workplaces, and public spots in the community.
- Get rid of buckets, puddles, wheelbarrows, and bins that have water sitting in them.
- Fix faucets and lines that can’t hold water.
- Once a week, flush or dump out the water in bromeliads and other green plants.
- Make sure the gutters are clear so water can flow easily.
- Get rid of trash and other things that are lying around, like old tires.
- To keep bugs out, fix any screens or windows that are broken.
Carefully plan your trip, especially if it’s to a place where these diseases may be growing.
Visitors and residents of Hawaii may bring diseases spread by mosquitoes with them without knowing it. Mosquito-borne diseases like Zika, dengue fever, and chikungunya are spreading quickly in Central America, Southeast Asia, and the South Pacific. Because of this, people who are going to travel or who are pregnant need to be extra careful and make smart plans.
Before you leave, find out if there is a chance of getting Zika, dengue, or chikungunya where you are going.
- Men and women who move to places where Zika is spreading should use safe sex methods (like condoms) to avoid getting the disease through sexual contact.
- Do not let bugs bite you, especially if you are pregnant.
- For alerts and warnings, go to cdc.gov/travel and look at the CDC Travelers’ Health page.
Protect yourself and your family from being bitten by mosquitoes.
Staying away from mosquito bites is the best way to avoid getting any diseases they carry. There are no mosquito-borne diseases that are spreading in Hawaii right now. Hawaii does, however, have two kinds of mosquitoes that can spread diseases if they bite someone who already has one.
If you’re going to be outside, put mosquito repellent on any skin that will be uncovered. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should approve the repellent, and it should have 20 to 30 percent DEET as its active ingredient.
Picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535 are some other possible active ingredients. You can find the right bug repellent from here.
Wear safety gear like long pants, long-sleeved shirts, socks, and shoes whenever you can. Mosquitoes are drawn to dark colors, so try to dress in light colors as much as possible.
Do not do anything in places where mosquitoes like to hang out, like wet and shady places, especially at sunrise and sunset, when mosquitoes are most active.
What Does The Vector Control Branch Do With Mosquitoes?
Integrated Pest Management is what we use to get rid of mosquitoes. We catch mosquitoes all the time as part of routine surveillance and for study reasons.
This way of getting rid of mosquitoes is based on what people in our community know and do. We then use physical and technical methods to control the mosquito population.
We keep an eye on and record mosquitoes, use insecticides in some areas, and will react to any disease outbreaks caused by mosquitoes.
More than 20,000 mosquitoes are caught every year in traps that are set up near airports and seaports (https://health.hawaii.gov/vcb/mosquitoes/traps). These traps look like a place where mosquitoes would lay their eggs, and they catch both adult and young mosquitoes.
What Can The Public Do?
Use bug spray, wear long-sleeved shirts or pants, and fix broken screens on windows and doors to keep from getting bitten. Fix any taps that leak and get rid of any standing water near your home at least once a week to make it less appealing for mosquitoes to lay their eggs.
What Mosquitoes In Hawaii Look Like
Hawaii has eight kinds of these annoying bugs. Two of these animals only eat plants, while six eat people.
The “Aedes aegypti,” or Yellow Fever Mosquito, is the most common type of mosquito in Hawaii. These mosquitoes are wingless bugs with narrow waists and legs that hang down. They usually have black and white spots on their bodies.
It’s best to avoid these bugs in the morning and evening. They like to lay their eggs in still water, even if it’s just a small puddle in the parking lot.
Problems With Mosquitoes in Hawaii
As everyone knows, mosquitoes can spread disease through their bites. At this time, Hawaii does not have any of the diseases that are usually spread by mosquitoes to humans, like the West Nile Virus, encephalitis, yellow fever, malaria, or filariasis.
Dengue fever has been known to spread very rarely and in small groups in Hawaii’s wet areas, like on Maui and the Big Island. The last outbreak that was known about was in 2015.
In Hawaii, however, dogs that get hit by infected mosquitoes do get heartworms. Also, bird pox and bird malaria kill a lot of local birds.
Natural Effective Mosquito Control In Hawaii
Thank goodness there are some effective natural ways to keep mosquitoes off of you and your property. Wearing long clothes like long-sleeved shirts or pants that reach the floor can help keep you from getting bitten without using chemicals or strong sprays.
Getting rid of standing water or fixing up places where water likes to gather will also help get rid of a place for mosquitoes to breed.
For Example, Hawaii Homeowners Can:
- Fix a tap or hose that is dripping.
- Drain the water from green plants or bromeliads once a week.
- Clean out all of the gutters so that water can flow and not pool.
- Pick up all the trash and other things on the land.
- Birdbaths, buckets, and wheelbarrows that hold water should be emptied after it rains.
- Get rid of used tires the right way.
- Fix the screens and make sure the windows are closed.
- Adding plants to your yard is another great way to keep bugs away naturally.
Some Easy-To-Grow Options For Hawaiian Residents Include:
- Horsemint
- Citronella
- Marigolds
- Ageratum
- Catnip
Having these kinds of plants inside and outside of your home, especially where you plan to spend time outside, can keep bugs away.
People can also put these species in pots and move them from place to place, making outdoor areas that are mosquito-free that you and your family can enjoy.
Products made from these natural plants may also help keep bugs away.