Mosquitos and Flying Insects

All 4 subspecies of common mosquitoes are found in Thailand. It’s a mosquito often found in polluted water sources and flooded areas and is a carrier of several dangerous diseases such as encephalitis and elephantiasis.

• Found near murky water, puddles, and garbage dumps.
• Breed in stagnant, polluted puddles and drain. Heavy infestation occurs when there is flooding. One common house mosquito egg raft may contain up to 350 eggs.

Common house mosquitoes feed outdoor during night till dawn.

Aedes is one of the most common mosquitoes can be divided into several species, including:

• Yellow Fever Mosquito (Aedes aegypti) is a common vector of Dengue fever, and a possible carrier of Chikungunya fever, Zika fever, and Yellow fever.
  • Yellow Fever Mosquito lives in dark and humid areas, containing shaded areas and plants. They feed from early morning until late morning, and will feed again right before dusk. Yellow fever mosquitoes’ bite does not sting as much as the Asian Tiger Mosquito.
  • Yellow Fever Mosquito often breeds in clean, still, and stagnant water. Common breeding sites include unused pots, flower pots, old spare tires, aluminum cans, etc. Their flight radius is around 400 meters within their breeding site.

• Asian Tiger Mosquito (Aedes albopictus) is a common vector of Chikungunya fever, a possible carrier of Dengue fever, and an animal disease that could eventually be passed on to human.
  • While Yellow Fever Mosquito is mostly found in the plain, Asian Tiger Mosquito thrives in all kind of areas; plain or high land, city or countryside.
  • Asian Tiger Mosquito feeds early in the morning and dwindle down its feeding activity close to noon. They will get busy again around late afternoon until sunset.
  • Female Asian Tiger Mosquitoes feed on human and animal blood. They are ruthless outdoor hunters; quick to adapt and endure toward unpleasant environment. Their bites give a sharper jolt of pain than Yellow Fever Mosquitoes.
  • Asian Tiger Mosquitoes avoid sunny area, they often hid in bushes, damp, and groves. They rest on low bushes containing shade that are not far away from their breeding site and food source.
  • Asian Tiger Mosquitoes breed in still, stagnant, and clean water. Breeding site can be found in nature or man-made items including, small pots and container. Their flight radius is around 200 meters within their breeding site.

The infected-Female Tiger mosquitoes can pass diseases to the Male Tiger when mating, while diseases are directly passed their broods.

Marsh Mosquito (Anopheles) : Malaria and Heartworm vector

• Marsh Mosquitoes when resting, tarsi will point upwards.
• They feed readily on mammalian blood
• A female Marsh Mosquito life span is about one month. Yet, in this short period, it can breed lay over 1,000 eggs.
• Each time, a female Marsh mosquito can lay up to 200 eggs. Hatching period can range from 2 days to 3 weeks, depending on the weather and the environment.
• Breeding sites are often found around natural slow-moving water; this is why they are often found in the forest. People who go out hiking, trekking, or doing any other activities in the wild have a higher chance of becoming victims of Marsh Mosquitoes. For this reason, Malaria is also known, locally, as Forest Fever.

Powder Post Beetle is another wood-destroying pest that causes damage no less than termite. Their name represents their habit of turning solid wood into flour-like powder, leaving tunnels in the damaged wood. The mound of powder is usually one of the infestation signs.

• Powder post beetles lay eggs underneath the wood surface, or on the surface. The eggs are hatched, and will chew their way out. This process may take a long amount of time from 1 year and up to 5 years.
• Coating the wood surface can prevent powder post beetles from getting under the surface. However, this method has no effect on the eggs underneath the surface.

• They like fresh fruits and vegetables, including rotting organic substances. In addition, some are attracted to human or animal waste.
• Fruit flies often lay eggs on the surface of the rotting fruits or vegetable, organic waste, or on uncovered packages.
• Fruit flies are commonly found in the fruit and vegetable section of the supermarket. They would fly around items such as bananas, grapes, pineapples, tomatoes, potatoes, and onions.
• Ferment beverages/items including beer, cider vinegar, vinegar and wine also attract fruit flies.

• Eye Gnats, are attracted to areas containing mucous secretions, including the eyes of the victim. Face, eyes, fresh wounds, or wounds with pus; these are places that eye gnats may find their food.
• They feed on grime, filth, and organic substances.

• Drain Flies are considered weak fliers. They often rest and walk along surfaces. They can fly for a short distance with an irregular pattern. They are frequently found resting along the walls near drain and on the outside of the building where there is shade.
• They feed from evening to dusk, flying over drains, pipes, and drain filters.
• Drain flies lay eggs on slimy or slick surfaces. Slimy layers containing decaying organic materials are their larvae’s best food source.
• Drain flies are not known to be a vector of disease, but they may cause allergies for those suffering from asthma.

House flies are commonly found in houses both in city and suburban areas.

• House Flies can fly over 30 kilometers. However, with enough food source, they normally fly within a 1–3-kilometer radius from their breeding ground.
• Female house flies seek breeding site that is warm, damp, and are abundant in food.
• House flies are drawn into the building via smell. Wind direction and weather also affect their behavior. In colder days, a warm cozy place inside the building will attract the flies.
• When foraging, House Flies would fly along the walls or the ground, and they will rest near food source. They often fly no higher than 5 meters above grounds.
• At night, they rest on electrical cords, walls, ceiling, trees, or places with height over 1.5 meters.

• Blow Flies breed on rotting carcasses.
• Feces, sewage, garbage, and dead carcasses of small animals like birds and rodents are a great breeding site for Blow Flies.
• Blow Flies are active in warm and sunny days, and are found resting on cloudy or cold days
• They are attracted to office lights at night.