#mosquito #summer #health
“Mosquitoes are significant public health pests because they transmit disease-causing pathogens to humans as well as wild and domesticated animals”— Paul Ebeling
Mosquitoes are nuisance pests because their bites interfere with human activities. Most mosquitoes are active during twilight hrs and at night; however, mosquito species that are common around the home, those that breed in ephemeral pools of water are active during the day.
Mosquitoes need water to complete their life cycle, as they have evolved to live in nearly every aquatic habitat.
It is important to note that toxic pesticides are only a short-term solution to a mosquito issue at best.
Long-term, effective population control requires integrated pest management. Integrated pest management is a strategic, science-based approach that combines multiple control strategies in a way that will minimize economic, health, and environmental risks while effectively managing target pests.
Summer night activities make for some of the best times and memories with friends and family, but it’s frustrating when those nights include swarms of mosquitoes as well.
Mosquitoes are always an irritating pest because they buzz around and bite you and overall just never leave you alone.
But did you know there are ways to make sure that mosquitos aren’t much of a problem?
By preparing for mosquitoes before mosquito season starts, you can minimize the mosquito population around your home.
So, as Summer approaches and the warm temperatures mosquitoes start biting.
There are 3,500 mosquito species found worldwide. In nNorth America we have about 12+ species that carry parasites or pathogens harmful to humans and animals.
The Aedes aegypti know to transport diseases like malaria, dengue, yellow fever, and chikungunya.
An old expression is, “they breed in your yard and feed off your family”.
We now know climate change is shortening North American Winters, and mosquitoes are breeding at least twice a month.
Mosquito-borne diseases kill more than 1-M people and infect nearly 500-M. Interesting looking back some famous people in history have died from mosquitoes: Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan!
Prior to 1940 people were sprayed with the pesticide DDT and today known to be toxic to humans.
Since 2000 outbreaks of new diseases never seen in North America have once again brought mosquitoes into the spotlight. West Nile virus, which jumped from infected birds to mosquitoes to humans, killed thousands of Americans.
Of concern and seen recently in Jamaica and India is dengue fever which can silently kill the family. The body does react to dengue, but often Dengue is incorrectly diagnosed as the flu.
The Zika virus can cause microcephaly among infants and was found in Florida and Brazil. In the last 5 years an outbreak of chikungunya, which causes debilitating fever and joint pain, spread across Latin America and across 22 countries.
Today what makes mosquitoes difficult to control is that “they quickly can adapt to habitat and for example outdoor spraying has forced them into the attic of your home and travel via AC tubes throughout your house having meals all day and night”.
Garden pools and stagnant water in pots are ideal breeding grounds.
To control mosquitoes, you must introduce preventative measures into their daily lives.
Spraying the environment does not only kill mosquitoes, but also bees and other outdoor insects. In addition, after a rainfall the ground is now filled with chemicals and is absorbed into ground water and rivers absorbed by the fish life. Think harsh chemical contamination everywhere from spraying.
New ideas using human and pet friendly products like the Dupont award winning SECURE™ 15-day outdoor zone pouch that gives of an aroma that attracts the female mosquito to the pouch and on arrival she becomes confounded and loses her zest for a blood meal.
Leaving this safe zone there are several no-bite lotions available and look for one with no deet, that has at least a 6-hour protection message and best news of all is a recent release from ANYTIME™ no-bite/NO SCENT lotion meaning you are protected and can visit an outdoor restaurant or sports event without your neighbors smelling the product.
Sadly during the Vietnam war the US troops using DEET based products could be smelt by the enemy and were at a disadvantage while hiding in the vegetation.
In addition a new worry for horse owners and cat/goat farms is that mosquitoes are moving into barns and new measures are having to be taken to control them.
Mosquitoes can cause weight loss and a decrease in milk production in cattle and goats. The mosquito can be enormous pests to horses and may spread West Nile virus and western equine encephalitis.
Today sprays and mists without harsh chemicals like StillTails™ that kill the pests but not the horse or cows are used and at a much lower spraying or misting frequency so safety all round and no mosquitoes and fleas.
Mosquitoes do not go away for good until the first freeze, followed by temperatures consistently below 50 degrees. Mosquito season ends in the Northern United States at the end of August, but for the Southern most United States the typical end of mosquito season comes in November.
“I hope you found these tips for how to get rid of mosquitoes helpful in preparing for and dealing with mosquito season in your area”, Charles Murray
Have a happy, healthy mosquito free Summer.
