Mosquito—Health Risk and Remedies

For millions of years, mosquitoes have sucked the blood of their prey and transmitted deadly diseases in the process. If not for mosquitoes, countless human lives could have been spared. Yet wishful thinking simply won’t do any good, which is why it pays to be prepared for any mosquito attack.

You can follow a variety of methods to deal with mosquitoes in and around your home. Yet whatever method you choose, keep in mind that mosquitoes can be quite resilient and quick to adapt. You need to be thorough and destroy their habitats by resorting to methods like misting and fogging.

These days, misting is considered one of the most popular and effective mosquito killing techniques. This procedure involves emitting a kind of artificially produced vapor which contains substances that can take down mosquitoes in a wide area. Modern mosquito misting systems include remote control-operated drum apparatus with extract of chrysanthemum inside.

Mosquitoes thrive in places where there's standing water, such as ponds or even aquariums. To prevent these bugs from spreading, you can pour oil on the water and thereby prevent adult mosquitoes from feeding their young. Meanwhile, be sure to get rid of any puddle or stagnant water that forms after every rain.

http://www.businessinsider.com/a-few-tips-on-mosquito-bites-2013-7

Read More

Getting Rid of Mosquitoes Safely

Malaria is a serious disease caused by a mosquito infected with the Plasmodium parasite. Among the symptoms of this disease are high fevers, nausea, vomiting, and flu-like illness, and when not promptly treated, malaria can cause kidney failure, seizures, coma, and even death. Malaria cases are most common in tropical and subtropical countries, but according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1,500 cases of malaria are reported in the United States each year.

As the head of your household, you need to ensure your family's protection against Plasmodium parasite-carrying mosquitoes by enlisting mosquito control specialists. There are two ways these companies control mosquitoes: barrier spray and automatic misting system. Barrier spray is effective at getting rid of mosquitoes on contact, while the dried residue can protect your surroundings and keep your family safe from disease-carrying mosquitoes for as long as 21 days.

Meanwhile, an automatic misting system uses spray nozzles that are designed to spray pesticides in a thin mist to eliminate mosquitoes. An automatic misting system can be set to spray for as long as 30 seconds and as often as four times a day. However, when you engage a mosquito control company, check if they use EPA-approved ingredients for their pesticides such as permethrin, pyrethrins, and piperonyl butoxide; avoid companies that use pesticides that contain high-risk ingredients like Borax and Imidacloprid.

Read More

A Fine Mist Could Kill Mosquitoes for Good

Mosquitoes are a bane in almost every part of the world, no thanks to human activity that allowed them to spread literally everywhere except Antarctica. Practically speaking, it is impossible to eliminate them from every house permanently, but a new technology may provide just that. As of August 2012, the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) permitted the use of mosquito misting systems in US households. Misting systems regularly blanket the surrounding area with mosquito-repelling pesticide.

Depending on the manufacturer and/or service provider, these systems may be activated manually or automatically. Moreover, the EPA recommends that homeowners check if their home state has specific regulations regarding the use of pesticides. The EPA also tells people that, although effective, misting systems shouldn't be solely relied on for warding off mosquitoes. Instead, the agency recommends using these systems in tandem with other mosquito control practices (e.g. eliminating sources of stagnant water, yard maintenance, etc.).

Still, the efficiency of misting systems can't be denied and they are a useful addition to any community-based mosquito management program. Permethrin and pyrethrins, the primary ingredients in pesticides used by most residential misting systems, are highly effective in killing mosquitoes while remaining relatively safe for humans. However, these chemicals also have the potential to kill beneficial insects such as honeybees and butterflies, so the EPA recommends care in their use.

Read More