Don’t let the buzz of mosquitoes keep you indoors. Most mosquitoes are a nuisance, causing rashes and itching but some species can transmit diseases that can make you sick. Understanding how they breed and spread disease can help you gain the upper hand in the battle against these pesky insects.

Mosquitoes serve as a carrier (vector) in the spread of certain diseases. It starts when they feed on an animal infected with heartworms or an animal or person with West Nile, Saint Louis Encephalitis, Zika or other mosquito-vectored disease. The young heartworm or virus is taken in with the mosqu...