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Family Health and Fitness Day

Saturday, September 26th is Family Health and Fitness Day, so here are some ways to make the most of it.

Family Health and Fitness Day is intended to promote both physical health and fitness among families in the United States. Observed on the last Saturday of September, Family Health and Fitness Day encourages families and their loved ones to implement healthy habits and activities in their daily lives. This day was established by the Health and Information Resource Center in 1996 in order to promote a healthy family lifestyle for Americans.

At Mosquito Authority, we love to promote the health and wellbeing of our customers, so we came up with some suggestions for how you can make the most of Family Health and Fitness Day.

1. Go on a hike

Exercise is an important part of the day, so why not enjoy it? Hiking not only benefits your health but it also gives you the opportunity to get some fresh air and appreciate the outdoors. Just be sure to wear mosquito repellent and check for ticks after hiking in the woods.

2.  Play a sport as a family

Because of COVID-19 your kids might not be able to enjoy their favorite sports like they used to. However, that doesn’t mean playing sports is out of the question. Organize a family game, whether it is football, basketball, soccer, etc., and get the whole family outside for some fun (and friendly) competition.    

3. Go for a family bike ride

Biking is a tried-and-true family activity. Whether you are biking on a trail or just going for a ride through the neighborhood, this is a great way to keep your family active. Not only is it good for fitness, but exercising outside provides a nice break from those indoor workouts.

3. Come up with a weekly meal plan

Planning your meals at the beginning of the week saves time and also allows you to make intentional food choices. By taking the time each week to meal-plan, you can form healthy eating habits for your family and take the stress out of last-minute dinner plans!

4. Know your family health history

Educating yourself on family health history is crucial. By being aware of your family medical history, you can reduce your risk of developing health problems in the future. 

5. Go for daily walks

Sometimes a simple walk is the best way to exercise as a family. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults 18-64 years old should walk for at least 150 minutes every week (that’s roughly 22 minutes per day). 

Family Health and Fitness Day is a great time to spend time with your family and recognize the importance of physical health. To make sure your backyard is a safe space to spend some time getting active, schedule a mosquito treatment with us today.

Foods That Attract Pests

Here are some of the foods that are most attractive to pests, from fruits and veggies to sugary drinks.

Pests are annoying enough without them getting into our food. Unfortunately, there are a lot of foods in our daily diets that can draw pests into our homes. Here are a few of the most attractive foods for pests and some tips for reducing your chance of having to deal with them. 

1. Any type of fruit and/or vegetable

You have most likely seen fruit flies hovering around the fruit bowl on your counter or a bunch of bananas you left out overnight. Fruit flies are probably the most infamous type of household pest, and also the most bothersome. However, there is a simple way to minimize your fruit fly problem: avoid leaving fruits and vegetables uncovered in your kitchen.

2. Crumbs

It’s pretty much impossible to avoid crumbs inside your home. Whether you are making dinner or grabbing a breakfast bar, there’s bound to be a few crumbs that end up on your counter and/or floor. However, these little bits of food can attract certain pests such as ants and cockroaches, so it’s important to always clean up any crumbs around your house. 

3. Sugary drinks

Juice, soda, and other types of sugary drinks are all extremely attractive to pests, specifically wasps and bees. If you are enjoying a nice day outside with a cool soda in hand, make sure to clean up any spills and be on the lookout for wasps. These stinging insects love high fructose corn syrup, the main ingredient in soda, so you’re likely to get some unwanted attention with a sugary drink by your side. 

4.  Sugary foods

Soda and juice are not the only sugary substances that attract pests. Ants love to get into all kinds of sugary foods such as candy, jam, and cookies. If you are planning an outdoor barbeque with some sweets or making s’ mores by the fire, keep an eye out for hungry ants.

5. Peanut butter

Speaking of ants, they don’t always go for the sweet snacks. In fact, some ants are more attracted to salty foods as opposed to sweet. Because it is a food high in protein and fat, peanut butter is an appealing option for ants in search of a meal. 

6. Alcohol

Alcohol is another beverage that entices pests such as fruit flies and beetles. If you are having a glass of wine, remember to put the cork back in the bottle. As with sodas and juices, make sure to clean up any spills immediately to avoid attracting any bugs.

Now that you know which foods can attract pests, you hopefully have a better idea of how to make sure your kitchen and/or outdoor space stay pest-free. For more information on dealing with pests, check out our other blogs and stay up-to-date with us!

Mosquito Authority’s tips on how to have a bug-free barbeque

Summer might be coming to an end, but barbeque season is still going strong! In fact, with the weather cooling down in September, this might just be the best time to fire up the grill and enjoy your backyard. 

There is just one problem: how do you stop mosquitoes from ruining your outdoor dinner plans? That’s where Mosquito Authority comes in. We want you to enjoy your backyard to the fullest, so here are some Mosquito Authority-approved tips for having a bug-free barbeque this season:

1.  Set out some citronella candles

While citronella is not 100% effective in staving off mosquitoes, it can still help. Try setting out some citronella candles or torches around your backyard area if you are planning on hosting a gathering.

 2. Wear light-colored clothing

It might sound odd, but people wearing dark clothing are actually at a higher risk for mosquito bites than those wearing lighter clothes. Avoid being a target for mosquitoes in search of a meal by wearing light-colored clothing during an outdoor event. 

3. Use a fan

Another strategy for keeping mosquitoes from ruining your backyard barbeque is to put one or two fans in your outdoor space. There are two reasons why fans can help deter mosquitoes, one of them being that mosquitoes are weak fliers, so a strong fan can keep them from getting to you. The other reason is that mosquitoes are enticed by the lactic acid from human sweat, so by cooling you down, fans also make you less attractive to these pests. 

4. Remove any standing water from your yard

Mosquitoes love standing water, so make sure you don’t have any puddles or places where water could build up in your yard. If you have any birdbaths, be sure to change out the water frequently in order to avoid mosquitoes on the day or night of your barbeque.

5. Cover your trash cans and get rid of any trash as soon as possible

Leftover food and beverages in trash cans attract all sorts of bugs, so it’s important to keep your outdoor trash cans covered. In addition, using a lid avoids any water from getting in your trash can, which can help deter mosquitoes.

6.  Schedule your BBQ for early afternoon

We’ve all had a nice night or two ruined by the presence of mosquitoes. Since these pests are most active during dusk, we recommend scheduling your barbeque early in the afternoon to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes.

7. Eat outside, but serve the food inside

Try serving your meal inside in order to keep the majority of the food away from hungry pests. This way, you and your guests can still enjoy eating outdoors without constantly worrying if bugs have gotten into the food.

8. Call Mosquito Authority

At Mosquito Authority, our primary focus is ensuring you and your family’s safety and helping you enjoy your outdoor space without the presence of mosquitoes. To ensure that your next barbeque or outdoor event is mosquito-free, schedule a treatment with us today. 

What You Probably Don’t Know About Mosquitoes

If you thought you knew all there was to know about mosquitoes, these facts might surprise you.

We all know mosquitoes are a nuisance; they invade our backyards, sneak into our homes, and make going outdoors a far less enjoyable experience. However, there are a lot of things that you probably don’t know about these insects, such as how many species there are and what makes humans so attractive to them in the first place. Since we at Mosquito Authority believe that education is an important aspect of mosquito control, we put together some fun (or not-so-fun) facts that you probably didn’t know about mosquitoes.

1. Only female mosquitoes bite humans.

It might seem like every mosquito in the world is out to get you, but in reality, female mosquitoes are the only ones who bite humans. While male mosquitoes are able to live off of the nectar from flowers, female mosquitoes need blood in order to lay eggs.

2. Female mosquitoes lay their eggs in shallow water.

Because female mosquitoes prefer to lay their eggs in shallow water or other damp areas, it is important to remove any areas of stagnant water near your home. Less standing water means less room for mosquitoes to breed!

3. Mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide.

If you’ve ever wondered why mosquitoes are attracted to humans, here’s one reason: these insects are drawn to the odor of the carbon dioxide that we naturally exhale. In addition to this, mosquitoes are also attracted to lactic acid and octenol, both of which are found in human breath and sweat.

4. Not all mosquitoes feed on humans.

With over 3,000 species of mosquito in the world, it might be hard to believe that only some of them bite humans. And, according to National Geographic, only about 3 mosquito species are responsible for spreading human diseases.

5. Mosquitoes are deadlier than you think.

They might be small, but mosquitoes are one of the deadliest species on earth. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recognizes them as the world’s deadliest animal, as they kill more humans than any other species on the planet.

6. Blood type matters when it comes to mosquito bites.

You have probably noticed that some people you know are more prone to mosquito bites than others. Well, it turns out that mosquitoes are most attracted to people with type O blood, and tend to be less drawn to humans with type A and B blood.

7. Wearing dark clothing increases your risk of being bitten.

According to the American Mosquito Control Association, some mosquitoes are attracted to dark clothing. If you’re planning on spending time outdoors, try wearing light-colored clothing to reduce your risk of being bitten.

8. Mosquitoes have been around for a long time.

To be more specific, the American Mosquito Control Association estimates that these insects have been around for about 400 million years.

At Mosquito Authority, we want to do everything we can to ensure you and your family are protected from these insects. Call us today to schedule a treatment with us and reclaim your outdoor area.

National Wildlife Day

September fourth is National Wildlife Day, a time to raise awareness for endangered species across the globe. Founded in 2005 by animal behaviorist Colleen Paige, National Wildlife Day recognizes animal species that need to be preserved and protected year after year. In addition to this, National Wildlife Day also sheds light on zoos and animal sanctuaries who play an important role in preserving endangered animals and educating the public, as well as activists who work to protect these species.  

With the list of endangered animal species growing longer each year, recognizing National Wildlife Day is more important than ever. Here are just a few of the species across the globe that are endangered, according to the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF):

1. Amur leopard

Also known as the Manchurian or Korean leopard, the Amur leopard lives in the Russian Far East and has a life-span of about 10-15 years in the wild. Amur leopards are critically endangered, with fewer than 60 in existence today.

2. Black rhino

With just over 5,500 black rhinos in existence today, this species has been the victim of poaching and black-market trafficking of rhino horn for years. Black rhinos inhabit the east coast of the African continent and, like the Amur leopards, are considered critically endangered. 

3. Cross River gorilla

There are only about 200 to 300 Cross River gorillas left in the Congo Basin, which is their natural habitat located in Central Africa. Poaching, as well as human efforts to encroach on their territory, has had a detrimental effect on the Cross River gorilla population.

4. Asian elephant

Asian elephants can be found in the Eastern Himalayas and live on a diet consisting largely of grass, tree bark, leaves, and cultivated crops such as rice and bananas. This species is considered endangered, with a population of fewer than 50,000.

5. Blue whale

Weighing approximately 2 tons with a heart the size of a Volkswagen Beetle, the blue whale is the largest animal on the planet. Although their species originally dwindled because of the whaling industry, the major threats to the blue whale population today are entanglements in fishing gear and vessel strikes.

After the death of Australian conservationist Steve Irwin, National Wildlife Day is now celebrated in his honor on both February 22nd and September 4th.  National Wildlife Day highlights the importance of species like these in order to protect them from extinction, and also gives us a chance to be thankful for our own animals. To learn more about National Wildlife Day, you can read about it here. If you’d like to educate yourself on endangered species and why they matter, head to the World Wildlife Fund website.