Mosquito control is a really big concern for many people. Every year, there are more and more mosquitoes carrying increasingly worse diseases. This is why mosquito control specialists need to find new ways to more efficiently fight these insects. They may find some new chemical that is the next big thing in mosquito control. Until then, there might be another, more natural way to control the mosquito population: coffee.
Coffee as a Mosquito Repellent
Coffee has many uses. It serves as a way to wake us up, to give us a boost of energy, or just as a tasty drink. It’s quite a universal beverage. But did you know that coffee is also a great mosquito repellent?
It’s true! Mosquitoes find coffee very toxic, especially coffee with some cream and sugar in it – which is the way most people prefer to enjoy it. The mosquito species that is particularly not fond of coffee is the Aedes albopictus (more commonly known as the Asian tiger mosquito). This is great because Asian tiger mosquitoes are one of the most popular mosquito species. You can find them all over the world, from the USA to Europe and the tropics. They are also known to carry viruses such as yellow fever, dengue fever, and Chikungunya, which, if not treated, can have lasting effects on our health or even result in death.
The first thought when it comes to mosquito control is usually to buy and use some kind of insecticide. Many people assume that this might be the most efficient way to control these pests. But, unfortunately, that might no longer be the case because mosquitoes, like humans, evolve. With time, they’ll grow immune to most insecticides, which is why it’s so important to search for new ways to control mosquitoes without using insecticides or pesticides.
Another concern with insecticides is that they are quite chemical meaning that they aren’t the best for humans, our pets, or other animals. If you are spraying large areas with insecticide, you can never be sure that the insecticide won’t seep into groundwater or contaminate your food, water, or the environment you live in.
What Science Says About Coffee
Thankfully, scientists have started to test coffee as an insect repellent. They’ve found that this substance has a promising future in the mosquito repellent business. Since 2003, many scientists have run experiments finding that coffee efficiently kills mosquito larvae. But, they still need to find a suitable mechanism to distribute the coffee concoction to grown mosquitoes, too.
As of now, they have a coffee-based liquid that kills mosquitoes. But, you have to distribute it everywhere, including in water, which isn’ t really the best option. Once scientists solve this problem, coffee could become the next big thing in mosquito control. We’ll be able to replace toxic, chemical repellents with a natural repellent based on many people’s favorite drink: coffee.