Wet weather and the severe and troubling flooding in many parts of the country have delivered another cruel menace to already stressed residents...mosquitoes!
While in most parts of the country dealing with mosquitoes is a part of summer that everyone experiences and no one likes, occasionally, in years like this, the annoyance of a few itchy bites turns into a serious concern and even a health risk.
I am surprised that the words "West Nile Virus" have not yet surfaced in connection with this years epic infestation of these dangerous vectors of disease.
In a perfect world, there would be a single easy way to deal with this problem and still enjoy outdoor activities this summer. That does not seem to be the case this year. There are, however, some things that people can do to minimize the impact of this bothersome insect.
Personal Repellents - Most personal repellents contain either DEET or PICHARDIN as their active ingredients. The higher percent of active ingredient in a product the longer it will last. When applying repellents to children, be sure to use ONLY child approved formulations, and apply them more frequently.
Area Repellents - Area repellents can work for a few hours up to a few weeks to repel insects. As the name implies, these are not killers. They create an inhospitable area for mosquitoes so that they go somewhere else. Repellents can be granular or liquid sprays, and are usually more effective when they are first applied than after a few days.
Area Killers - Some other options available for mosquito control are area killers. These products are usually found in hose end applicators and have names like "Bug Free Back Yard" or something like that. Usually these products contain permethrin insecticide, and they are quite effective in killing insects in a larger area such as around a deck or picnic table. With any insecticide, you should read, understand, and follow the lable directions.
The best protection against mosquitoes is a combination of all of the above products to create as close to a bug free zone as possible. Taking other precautions such as avoiding dark colored clothes, avoiding prime mosquito times of dusk and dawn, and taking an aggressive approach to managing standing water in your yard by either treating it with a mosquito larvicide or removing it, can reduce the incidents of mosquito bites and offers some hope that mosquito borne diseases will not be a probllem for your family.
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