At Mosquito Authority, educating our customers on the potential health risks mosquitoes pose and how they can lower those risks is a big part of how we practice mosquito control. For instance, did you know kids are more susceptible to mosquito bites than anyone else? Knowing facts like this can help you make a plan for handling mosquito season.
We know the health and wellbeing of your family is your top priority, so we make it our’s, too.
To help you prepare your family for mosquito season, we put together some tips on how to stay happy and healthy while enjoying the outdoors. Here are five things we believe every mom should know about mosquitoes:
There is nothing better than relaxing by the pool on a hot summer day. However, having a pool in your backyard requires extra mosquito control measures because it provides another way for mosquitoes to ruin the fun for you and your family.
If not properly maintained, your swimming pool can become a haven for mosquitoes. Why is that? Because mosquitoes need standing water in order to breed, and an ill-maintained swimming pool makes for a perfect breeding site for these pests.
Don’t worry though, Mosquito Authority has you covered! Here are some tips on how to make sure your swimming pool does not become breeding grounds for mosquitoes:
Make sure your pool is filtered
Having a proper filtration system is crucial to having a well-maintained swimming pool. Running your pool filter every few hours can help ensure your pool is clean and free of any unwanted debris.
Use a pool cover
Using a pool cover is the best way to keep unwanted debris out of your swimming pool. Keeping your pool covered when it is not in use will keep mosquitoes out and prevent them from attempting to breed there. Some mosquitoes can even survive the cold weather, so using a cover year-round will help prevent them from getting in your pool.
Clean your pool cover
While pool covers are necessary for maintenance, they also must be monitored and cleaned regularly. Mosquitoes need very little water to breed, so it is very important to limit the amount of standing water anywhere near your home.
Pool covers tend to collect a good amount of water from rain, nearby sprinklers, and other sources, so make sure you monitor it closely and get rid of any standing water as soon as you discover it.
Get rid of standing water around your pool
Mosquitoes don’t necessarily need to be in your pool to cause trouble. If there is any standing water around your pool, in things like bird baths or children’s toys, it can draw breeding mosquitoes to your yard. You shouldn’t have to worry about being eaten alive by mosquitoes every time you go for a swim, so make sure to get rid of any standing water in your yard.
Clean your pool regularly
While this might seem obvious, cleaning your pool is one of the best ways to keep mosquitoes from making it their home. Keeping your pool clean on a regular basis is an important part of mosquito control in your backyard.
Call Mosquito Authority
Although there are a few DIY ways to prevent mosquitoes around your home, hiring a professional mosquito control company like Mosquito Authority is the best way to get rid of these pests. Our Mosquito Control Specialists always do a thorough walk-through of your property to identify all potential breeding grounds and develop a plan for how best to eliminate them.
Our aim at Mosquito Authority is not just to get rid of mosquitoes, but to keep them away from you and your family for good. For more information on mosquito control around your home, check out our other blogs.
At Mosquito Authority, we know it is important to have all of the facts when it comes to tick and mosquito control. Educating yourself on these pests is a big step towards having a mosquito and tick-free home, and we want you to be as informed as possible. There is a lot to know when it comes to mosquitoes and ticks, so we put together some fun facts you might not have heard before:
Scratching a mosquito bite agitates the area
Although you might feel relief for a few seconds, scratching a mosquito bite does not actually help. In fact, it makes it worse by agitating the area and increasing the itchiness you feel. Some remedies including aloe vera, honey, and chamomile tea can help reduce the itch of a mosquito bite.
Animals can contract more than one disease from ticks
The need for tick control stems from their potential to spread diseases to both humans and animals. According to Country Friends Veterinary Clinic, animals can actually contract more than one disease from a single tick bite. Also, dogs are more likely to experience a tick bite because cats frequently clean themselves.
Female mosquitoes lay their eggs in shallow water
Have you ever wondered why mosquito control specialists recommend getting rid of any standing water in your yard? Well, it’s because female mosquitoes lay their eggs in areas of shallow water and sometimes even damp soil.
You should avoid removing ticks with your bare hands
While you might be tempted to remove a tick from yourself or a pet with your hands, use tweezers instead. Using tweezers will allow you to grab the tick as close to your skin as possible to make sure you don’t leave any part of the tick in your skin. It is also important to remove ticks as quickly as possible!
We didn’t always know that mosquitoes spread West Nile Virus
According to Smithsonian Magazine, birds were once believed to be the cause of spreading West Nile Virus in the United States. It was not until 2010 that a study revealed mosquitoes to be the true cause of West Nile Virus cases from 2001 to 2004. As mosquito control specialists, we want to ensure that you and your family are protected from these pests and the diseases they carry.
Most ticks go through four life stages
The life stages of most ticks are egg, six-legged larva, eight-legged nymph, and adult. Ticks need a blood meal at each stage of life, meaning they need to find and feed on at least one host per life stage.
There are several effective mosquito repellents
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are four effective chemical repellents: DEET, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus, IR3535, and Picaridin.
There are more species of tick than you think
While there are only 90 tick species found in the United States, there are over 850 species of ticks throughout the world. Tick species found in the U.S. include the American Dog Tick (Dermacentor variabilis), the Eastern Blacklegged Tick (Ixodes scapularis), and the Lone Star Tick (Amblyomma americanum).
For more information on tick and mosquito control, check out our other blogs!
At Mosquito Authority, we offer more than just protection from mosquitoes and ticks– some of our locations offer flea control, too. We believe that our customers should know all the facts when it comes to these pests, so here are some things about fleas you might not have known:
Fleas have an interesting life
Similar to ticks, most fleas go through four stages of life: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, ticks may live anywhere from days to months to years, depending on their environment.
Fleas need blood to survive
Just like mosquitoes, female fleas need a blood meal in order for their eggs to develop. However, all fleas, male and female, need to feed on hosts for blood. Fleas are also known to eat 10-15 blood meals every day. They get these blood meals by finding a human or animal host (preferably animal) and then lay their eggs on the host. According to the CDC, these insects find their hosts by detecting body heat, movement, and breathing.
Fleas can find homes in many places
Fleas typically prefer to inhabit places where your pets hang out– carpets, furniture, pet beds, and even your own bedding. As part of flea control in your home, be sure to vacuum your carpets and rugs frequently, as well as couch and chair cushions. Also, be sure to clean bedding (yours and your pet’s) often with soap and water.
Fleas can feed on animals and humans
While most fleas in the United States prefer to feed on animals, they sometimes bite humans out of convenience, according to the CDC. Most human flea bites occur when the human is in close contact with a pet. While flea bites are not usually as harmful to humans as they are to animals, they can still cause irritation and itching.
There are thousands of flea species in the world
According to the CDC, there are roughly 2,500 species of flea worldwide, and around 300 of them inhabit the United States. The four most common flea species found in the U.S. are the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis), the dog flea (Ctenocephalides canis), the ground squirrel flea (Oropsylla montana), and the oriental rat flea (Xenopsylla cheopis).
Fleas can transmit diseases to both animals and humans
While many believe that fleas are only harmful to animals, that is not the case. In fact, there are several diseases that fleas can transmit to humans. For instance, the cat flea is responsible for transmitting flea-borne typhus and cat scratch disease, while the ground squirrel flea can transmit plague bacteria to people in the United States. The dog flea contributes to the spread of Dipylidium caninum, a tapeworm that affects dogs, cats, and sometimes even humans.
Fleas can cause a variety of problems, from infesting your home to causing serious health problems. Proper flea control is a big part of keeping your family, including the furry members, happy and healthy.
Find a Mosquito Authority location near you to find out if they offer flea control.
