Happy Memorial Day from Mosquito Squad!
Posted by janegwalker in Outdoor Living on May 25, 2012
This weekend marks the kickoff to barbecue and cook out season: Memorial Day. Here are some of our favorite ideas for Memorial Day get-togethers:
Food. Let’s face it, food can make all the difference at a barbecue, but you don’t want to spend the majority of your party in the kitchen preparing food for your guests and not laughing or chatting with them. Think about things you can make prior to your guests arriving. One of our favorites is a black bean and corn salsa that can be served with tortilla chips or as a side salad. It’s simple, mix the following ingredients and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving: 1 cup thawed frozen corn, 1 can black beans (drained and rinsed), 1 chopped tomato, 1 chopped scallion, ¼ cup chopped red onion, 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and the juice from one lime. So yummy!
Fresh fruit is always nice at a barbecue, but to make it a little more festive, think red, white and blue. By taking a rectangle platter and doing rows of red fruit (strawberries, raspberries, watermelon) and semi-white fruit (pineapple and banana) and adding a square of blueberries at the top, your fruit platter is also a decoration.
For a beverage, try this Red, White and Blue Sangria from RecipeGirl.com. We haven’t made it yet, but how fun does it look?
Décor. In short, anything with red, white and blue goes on Memorial Day. To add some color and light (if your party will go into the night), take old food jars to make centerpieces. You can buy colored sand at a nearby craft store and layer red, white and blue in the jars. Stick a small candle at the top and you’re done!
Use your plates, napkins and utensils as decorative accents. Around the holidays, there are many different patriotic themed items that you can pick up at your nearest grocery store or super store that will make your table spread look wonderful!
Games. Whether it’s ladder ball, bocce or bean bag toss, it’s nice to have outdoor games in mind to give your guests something to do. It doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive to be fun either. At a recent cook out with friends, I participated in a small field-day-like competition which included three legged races, a jumping rope contest, horse shoes and water balloon toss. All oldies, but still goodies.
Keep the bugs away. Yes, I know I’m a little biased, but honestly, who enjoys getting bitten by bugs? A mosquito control barrier spray will keep the unwanted guests from crashing your party.
Happy Memorial Day everyone!
Earliest Case of West Nile Detected in Pennsylvania
Posted by janegwalker in CDC, Mosquito barrier spray, Mosquito Control, Mosquito Squad, Mosquito-Borne Illnesses & Diseases, Uncategorized, West Nile encephaltis and meningitis, West Nile Virus on May 17, 2012
The state of Pennsylvania recently reported that on May 3rd, it detected its first West Nile virus-carrying mosquito. The state started testing mosquitoes in 2000 and this year brought its earliest detection ever.
According to the Business Journals, “typically, the state’s first West Nile Virus-carrying mosquito is found in mid-June.” Adds the Department of Environmental Protect Secretary Mike Krancer “the unseasonably warm weather in March caused the virus cycle to begin early this year…our staff will continue to monitor mosquito populations and conduct spraying to reduce the threat to public health.”
Last year, the first West Nile Virus-carrying mosquito was found on May 17, 2011. From there it was found in 59 counties and six human infections were confirmed.
The West Nile Virus can cause fever and other flu-like symptoms
West Nile Virus is transmitted to humans via mosquito bites. It’s been reported that 100s of cases are diagnosed every year and according to the CDC, it’s estimated that 300,000 Americans have been ill due to West Nile Virus since it arrived in the United States 11 years ago. Symptoms, including high fever, headache, body aches and nausea, usually appear between 3 and 14 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Serious cases can lead to encephalitis or meningitis. Diagnosis is usually based on symptoms and if the virus is known to be present in the area. Older adults are more likely to become ill when infected with West Nile Virus.
There is no specific treatment for West Nile. Instead, the exhibited symptoms are treated. Unfortunately, there isn’t a vaccine to protect against West Nile in humans and domestic pets (there is one for horses). The best way to prevent infection is to prevent mosquito bites. At Mosquito Squad, we do that through our 5Ts of mosquito control.
The mosquito is the culprit of many insect -borne illnesses and diseases and survived the ice age
Tip – Tip over small objects in your yard that hold standing water, including dog dishes and children’s toys. Mosquitoes breed in standing water; cutting down on the breeding grounds will reduce the number of mosquitoes in your yard.
Toss – toss out excess grass, leaves and firewood from yards.
Turnover – Turn over larger items like bird baths and planter saucers periodically.
Remove Tarps – When tarps aren’t pulled tightly, they leave areas for small puddles where mosquitoes can breed.
Treat Accordingly – Getting rid of standing water won’t get rid of all the mosquitoes around your property. A mosquito control spray will protect your yard against mosquitoes for 21-days.
At Mosquito Squad, we are happy to help family enjoy their backyards without the threat of West Nile and other mosquito-borne diseases. If you are interested in how mosquito control can help you, please visit us online at MosquitoSquad.com or call your local Mosquito Squad office.
May is Lyme disease Awareness Month
Posted by janegwalker in Deer ticks, Lyme disease, Tick Protection, Tick-borne illnesses and diseases on May 10, 2012
As we’ve discussed here before, Lyme disease can be a devastating disease that unfortunately is on the rise in many parts of the United States. Cause by the bite of a deer tick, Lyme can cause nausea, fatigue and joint pain. Although treated with antibiotics, if left untreated, symptoms can become more serious.
May is National Lyme Disease Awareness Month which we at Mosquito Squad are happy to participate in. Lyme disease is the most commonly reported vector-borne illness in the country with over 30,000 Americans contracting the disease every year! Our vector expert and co-founder of Mosquito Squad, Boyd Huneycutt explains: “there is no doubt that ticks present a threat to the health of Americans, their families and even their pets, due to the movement and rise in the deer tick population. We urge everyone to control the factors that they can, and check themselves thoroughly when in areas that can house ticks.”
In recognition of Lyme Awareness Month, we want to reiterate Mosquito Squad 6 C for tick-proof yards:
- Clear out. Reduce your tick exposure by clearing out areas where lawn and tree debris gathers. Ticks thrive in moist, shady areas and tend to die in sunny, dry areas. Locate compost piles away from play areas or high traffic. Separate them with wood chips or gravel. Don’t position playground equipment, decks and patios near treed areas.
- Clean. Eliminate leaf litter and brush by cleaning it up around the house and lawn edges, mow tall grasses and keep your lawn short.
- Choose plants. Select plants and shrubs that are not attractive to deer and/or install physical barriers to keep deer out of your yard. Check with your local nursery to determine the best choices for your area.
- Check hiding places. Know tick hiding places and check them frequently. Fences, brick walls and patio retaining walls are popular hiding places.
- Care for family pets. Family pets can suffer from tick-borne disease and also carry infected ticks into the home. Talk to your veterinarian about using tick collars and sprays. As with all pest control products, be sure to follow directions carefully.
- Call the pros. Professionals utilize both barrier sprays that can kill live ticks on the spot as well as “tick tubes.” Strategically placed, “tick tubes” prompt field mice to incorporate tick-killing material in their bedding, effectively eliminating hundreds of tick nymphs found in each mouse nest.
Even if you follow the 6Cs, it is important to take the necessary precautions when spending time outdoors. The CDC recommends wearing light, long-sleeved clothing when in areas where ticks may be present. Always make sure to do a thorough body check when coming inside. If you do find a tick on you that has attached, be sure to remove it properly and place in a plastic bag in case you need to take it in for testing. Be aware of any rashes that occur around the bite itself. One symptom of Lyme disease is a bulls eye rash around the bite mark. If you think you are showing any signs of Lyme, it is important to go see a doctor.
If you would like to learn more about tick control in your area, please visit us at MosquitoSquad.com or contact your local Squad.
Don’t let mosquitoes ruin your special day
Posted by janegwalker in Mosquito Control, Mosquito Squad, Outdoor Events, Uncategorized on May 2, 2012
Last year I married my fantastic husband in South Carolina. I’m glad it didn’t end up like this:
It doesn’t look huge here, but this was a welt of a mosquito bite!
People spend thousands of dollars to celebrate their big day, but unfortunately mosquito control is often overlooked in planning. Knowing that South Carolina can have some bugs, I made sure that our wedding ceremony, reception and rehearsal dinner venues were protected against mosquitoes as they all had outdoor spaces, but I found out the hard way the location of our pictures was not. Right after the ceremony, our wedding party, my husband and I went to a beautiful road to take pictures underneath 100+ year old oak trees. Not five minutes in, I had a huge mosquito bite on the back of my arm (and I got a few more throughout the posing process). Needless to say, we took pictures pretty quickly to get out of there. As annoyed as I was to have a few itchy bites, I was thrilled that our guests didn’t have that problem.
Mosquitoes can do a lot of damage for something so small and on a day you want everything to be flawless, you don’t want to worry about them. Mosquito Squad’s special events spray was created to make your outdoor events as perfect as you’ve always imagined. Our applicators come out prior to your event to keep the unwanted guests from crashing your big day. Visit us at online to find out more information about our mosquito control services.
Mosquito Squad Joins Malaria No More to Draw Attention to Malaria Epidemic Through World Malaria Day on April 25, 2012
Posted by janegwalker in Buy at $10 net to save a life, end Malaria deaths, end Malaria in Africa, Malaria, Malaria No More, Uncategorized on April 24, 2012
Dread Skeeter from Mosquito Squad helping Malaria No More
Tomorrow is the fifth annual World Malaria Day and this year’s theme is simple: “Sustain Gains, Save Lives: Invest in Malaria.” To help do our part, Mosquito Squad continues to support Malaria No More in its goal of reaching near zero deaths in Africa by 2015. In fact, we recently committed more than $50,000 to help fight this treatable and preventable disease. If you want to help us in our fight against malaria, donate at SwatMalaria.net on World Malaria Day!
Established by the World Health Assembly, World Malaria Day was started in 2007 to provide “education and understanding of malaria.” Its first theme was “Malaria – a disease without borders.” Although malaria is heavily concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa, it, at times, reached epidemic levels in many parts of the world, including Europe and North America.
In honor of World Malaria Day, here are some facts about the disease that you may not know:
- The world malaria comes from the Italian words for “bad air” because the disease was first thought to be a result of bad swamp air.
- It is the world’s deadliest disease, killing over 650,000 people a year, most of which are children
- Some Egyptian mummies show signs of malaria
- Aristotle, Homer and Hippocrates all described the symptoms of malaria in their works
- Shakespeare alludes to malaria in eight of his plays
- In Europe, it spread as far north as Russia
- The Incas were the first to find relief from malaria using bark from the cinchona tree
- George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant all suffered from the disease
- British physician Ronald Ross was the first to discover that malaria was carried by the mosquito in 1897
- The US Center for Disease control was initially set up with the mission to control the spread of malaria
- Malaria was eradicated in the US in the 1950s
- Malaria mosquitoes need to drink blood every three days
- Symptoms of the disease usually appear 10-15 days after a person is infected
World Malaria Day is a day to spread awareness of the disease as well as a day to take action. A donation of just $10 to Malaria No More can help protect a mother and three small children against this terrible illness. To give now, visit SwatMalaria.net.
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