Skeeters - A Break From Serious Issues
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Some parts of the U.S. are suffering drought while other parts are having record rainfall. Rain equals water and standing water is the breeding place for mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are annoying but the main objection to them is that they carry disease viruses which they transmit to you -
Malaria, Dengue Fever, St. Louis Encephalitis, LaCrosse Encephalitis, Equine Encephalitis, West Nile Virus and a few other assorted nasties. Skeeters pick up the viruses by biting birds, animals or humans carrying the blood-borne viruses and pass them on to you when they bite.
Certain mosquitoes "specialize" in specfic viruses but we won't go into that here. For more info, do a search on "diseases carried by mosquitoes". Protect yourself but especially protect your children .
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Insect experts offer their take on what works and what's a waste of money in fending off the seasonal pests.
By Christopher Solomon
It's summertime, and the livin' is … buggy.
In much of the country, Swat Season is in full swing, and the shelves sag with products that claim to help you survive in comfort. Unfortunately, most of these items are little better than the pests they purport to defeat, homing in on your desperation like a female skeeter chasing carbon dioxide.
We asked some of the nation's foremost mosquito experts to evaluate the claims of popular products now available. You may be surprised at what truly delivers relief.
First, give yourself a fighting chance
When it comes to dealing with mosquitoes, the best defense is a good offense, experts say. That means removing mosquito-friendly habitat from your yard. Here's what to do:
Tip and toss. Mosquito larvae need to float atop still water in order to grow and hatch. So don't let water pool in flowerpot saucers or pet dishes for more than two days, advises the American Mosquito Control Association. Toss tin cans, old tires, buckets, unused plastic swimming pools and other containers that collect and hold water. Clean rain gutters. Change the water in birdbaths and wading pools at least once a week.
Think like a mosquito. After the obvious spots, look for random places that hold water: plastic or canvas tarps used to cover boats or pools, and even places like broad-leaf plants. Got wet spots in your yard? Plant vegetation that likes "wet feet," advises Marina D'Abreau, horticulture agent for the Hillsborough County (Fla.) Cooperative Extension Service.
Check the deck. The dark area under backyard decks is often moist -- perfect for growing skeeters. Dry it out by putting sand under the deck.
Attack! Finally, take the fight to the little buggers. Stock ornamental pools with small, top-feeding minnows called mosquito fish, advises the AMCA. Another effective and perfectly safe option is to sprinkle BT (bacillus thuringiensus) in standing water, such as swimming pools or fish ponds. "Basically, it's a naturally occurring bacteria that attacks mosquito larvae," says D'Abreau. BT can be bought at home-and-garden stores in granule form or as so-called "dunks," which look like "spoiled little rotten green doughnuts," D'Abreau says. Best of all, she says, it's not toxic to humans or animals.
Or, try a new method of larval control: the LarvaSonic, which transmits sound waves into water at the resonant frequency of the mosquito larvae air bladders, rupturing the internal tissue and causing death, according to the company.
If you've taken these steps and you're still being swarmed, you'll likely want reinforcements. Just be careful which products you turn to, as they vary from completely benign (both to you and the mosquitoes) to potentially harmful for humans.
COMMENTS:
Labels: Skeeters - vermin
posted by Anonymous @ 7/29/2007 06:17:00 AM
We've had our first case of West Nile here (at least for this year - there may have been others).
Sunday, July 29, 2007 10:40:00 AM
Hello, Worried.
I had read something just yesterday about how some household ingredient could be used as an effective means of controlling mosquitos. I can't quite remember what it is, though. Sorry about that.
I do know from good experience that the citronella candles work.
Still, work best with some type of wind block, like a car port or a porch.
Monday, July 30, 2007 1:42:00 AM