Summer Mosquito Threats

May 18, 2018

Summer means the return of mosquitoes--and you know what that means. Yup. It means itchy bites and the threat of mosquito-borne viruses. But the threat mosquitoes pose is actually one of the most misunderstood problems families deal with. Let's take a look at this mosquito problem and put it into perspective.

The Shrugger

We all know that mosquitoes cause itchy welts. But there isn't a whole lot we can do about that. We're going to get bitten if we go into a location that has lots of mosquitoes. For most of us, the threat of itchy bites doesn't keep us from enjoying life. We just shrug it off. But we shouldn't. If you're a shrugger, you should know that mosquitoes spread many illnesses that we mistake for the flu or the common cold. If you'd like to be sick less, one of the best ways to do so is to prevent bites. Mosquito bite prevention can actually have a dramatic impact on how many bites you receive. Mosquito bites aren't as inevitable as you may think.

• Spray repellent on your skin or on your clothing to ward off bites.
• Use a repellent with oil of lemon eucalyptus if you prefer a natural option.
• If you'll be in a location that has lots of mosquitoes, consider wearing clothing that has mosquito netting.
• A good breeze will keep mosquitoes off you much better than the smoke from a campfire. If you're having a cookout in your backyard, consider running an extension cord and putting some fans outside. That will push those mosquitoes away.
• Wear bright colors to make it harder for mosquitoes to lock onto you.
• Wear a long-sleeved shirt and pants to give mosquitoes less skin to target.

The Shut-In

We all know that mosquitoes can carry diseases. You may even know that those illnesses go far beyond Zika, West Nile, yellow fever, chikungunya, malaria, dengue, and other well-known viruses. You may understand that there is a long list of mosquito-borne diseases that can cause encephalitis. And if you know that encephalitis is inflammation of the brain, you may have decided that you're never going to go out of your home again. If you're a shut-in, you should know that mosquitoes aren't born with pathogens. They contract them from animals or humans. Most of the mosquitoes that bite you are mosquitoes that hatch on or near your property because mosquitoes don't travel very far, generally. That means you can seriously affect how many bites you get by investing in mosquito reduction for your property.

If you live in our North Carolina service area, give us a call today to get started with professional mosquito control you can trust.