Make Your Yard A No-Fly Zone

Mosquitoes aren’t just annoying. They can be downright dangerous! Unfortunately, there’s no easy way to tell if the mosquito buzzing around your home or yard is infected with a potentially fatal disease. Therefore, the only remedy humans have is to create a mosquito-free zone. You have zero chance of contracting mosquito-borne illnesses if you have zero mosquitoes.

Vectors of Viruses and Diseases

The brutal bite of a mosquito can make you want to scratch your skin till it comes off. But a dangerous mosquito can also infect you with any of a number of diseases. Mosquitoes are arthropod vectors for several harmful diseases. An arthropod is defined as a critter that can hold and transfer diseases to multiple hosts. They can hold and spread different pathogens that contain these varieties of illnesses. So it is no surprise that they can cause serious physical, mental, and sentimental problems. The Zika Virus is one of the worst mosquito-transmitted diseases that have raised serious health threats throughout the world. The disease is passed through Aedes mosquitoes, which also can cause the Chikungunya Virus and Dengue Fever. Malaria, West Nile, and Yellow Fever can also be transmitted via mosquitoes. Some of these diseases do not even have proper treatment or vaccination.

Symptoms

Though not everyone will have severe symptoms, or may not even have symptoms, some of the most common symptoms of the Zika Virus include a fever, rash, joint pain, red eyes, and muscle pain. These symptoms could last many weeks. The virus normally stays in an infected person’s blood for approximately a week.

The Chikungunya Virus has a myriad of symptoms, and the majority of people who get the Chikungunya Virus feel symptoms. The symptoms include headaches, muscle and joint pain, fever, joint swelling, and rashes. The symptoms often start approximately 3 to 7 days after catching the virus. Luckily, most people feel better after a week. However, severe joint pain that may cause issues in everyday life could last for several months.

Dengue fever symptoms include eye pain, a rash, tummy paint and/or loss of appetite, sickness, fever and/or shivers, headaches and/or migraines, and muscle and joint pain. Though the more pronounced symptoms last approximately a week, fatigue and sickness can last for many weeks after.

The West Nile Virus has a myriad of side effects. These side effects can cause diarrhea, muscle and joint aching, vomiting, fatigue, and headaches. Though, 8 out of 10 people who get the West Nile Virus do not even have symptoms. Nevertheless, the West Nile Virus has no cure or treatment. The majority of those who fall ill from the virus will not be hospitalized. However, in rare severe cases, some may need to be hospitalized under proper care until the illness passes. This can last up to approximately 11 days.

Yellow Fever has a myriad of symptoms such as fever, sickness, vomiting, fatigue, eye sensitivity to light, and loss of appetite. The infection has no cure, but the symptoms can be relieved. Usually, it takes approximately 3 to 4 days to recover from the infection. Approximately half of the people with serious symptoms suffer a fatality. So be careful!!

None of these viruses have a cure, so the best way to deal with the side effects is as if it is a common cold. Resting, drinking lots of water, and taking Paracetamol can help relieve the symptoms. Do NOT take Advil or Tylenol. They can worsen the symptoms by causing internal bleeding.

Symptoms of Malaria include: a fever with sweat and/or chills, muscle and joint pain, loss of appetite, fatigue, feeling sick, coughing, and/or difficulty breathing, among other symptoms. Usually, the first symptoms of Malaria are attacks of shivering and chills. Malaria can be treated, and once treated, the illness should go away in approximately two weeks. If not treated or treated improperly, the symptoms can return on and off for approximately a year. There are approximately 725,000 fatalities from a mosquito-borne illness annually, and 600,000 people from Malaria.

If you catch any mosquito-borne virus, avoid mosquitoes !! You can pass the virus to a mosquito that bites you, and that mosquito can pass the virus to someone else.

Tips and Best Practices

If you have tried to kill these nasty mosquitoes with spray, repellents, liquids, mats, and even with the clap of your hands, you are not alone. Some of these methods are helpful, but others give you only temporary relief or none at all. Here are some tried and true methods of targeting mosquitoes to create a mosquito-free zone around your home.

Standing Water

As you know, mosquitoes need water to breed. That is why a messy yard quickly becomes their favorite breeding spot. Be extra careful, and keep an eye out for standing water. Slow-moving or stagnant water is necessary to host mosquito eggs and larvae. So you need to eliminate standing water to nip the problem in the bud. If it rains, make sure to empty water out of any buckets, empty pots, and so on as soon as possible. Make sure to clean the leaves that litter your yard. Even a small amount of dew stored in these piles can attract mosquitoes and help mosquitoes lay their eggs. Then it is only a matter of time before you have a fresh batch of biting mosquitoes. So make sure your yard is free from this mess.

Never feel shy to call the plumber whenever your house needs a quick fix. Clogged drainage pipes and gutters are also home to mosquitoes. So make sure they are fixed, flowing well, and running. If you reside in a region with abundant rainfall—like in the summer—make sure your yard is cleaned and dried within a day after it rains. You can dry your yard faster by picking up all the wet plants and debris and/or digging out any wet dirt or puddles to be replaced with fresh and dry topsoil and sand.

Ways to prevent stagnant water in your yard is by adding compost to your yard to help with soil absorption and consistency.  Another recommendation is to choose water-absorbent synthetic grass or real grass, which is naturally absorbent. Working with a ladnscaping contractor can also help find the best way to avoid stagnant puddles in your yard.

Insecticides

Spray your yard with insecticides now and then for a mosquito-free zone. Or, better yet, let Mr. Mister spray safe and eco-friendly mosquito repellant for you! Professional mosquito spraying is an easy way to keep mosquitoes out of your garden or lawn. It is best to hire professionals because insecticide sprays can have a damaging effect if misused.

Why Not DEET:

We at Mr. Mister use Permethrin over a different mosquito repellant, DEET. Why? Permethrin is safer for human and animal health and better for the environment. DEET is even recommended to be washed off IMMEDIATELY after use because it should not be breathed in. Insects, such as mosquitoes, can become immune to DEET as well. Therefore, this toxic mosquito repellent can eventually stop repelling mosquitoes. Those who use DEET, especially those spraying the chemical, can suffer many symptoms. These symptoms may include mood swings, insomnia, vomiting, and even difficulty with cognitive function, among other symptoms. Seizures can even be associated as a symptom if there has been too much exposure to DEET.

Permethrin can often be non-toxic or mildly toxic and is a pyrethroid. This mildly toxic Permethrin can be inhaled, ingested, and absorbed. Some of these symptoms from the mildly toxic Permethrin include skin, eye, and nose irritability, dizziness, and headaches, among other symptoms. However, less than 1 percent of Permethrin that touches the skin is usually absorbed into the body. Permethrin also does not mix well with water, so it will rarely contaminate water.

Mr. Mister’s mosquito misting spray service is the most sustainable and healthy option. And Mr. Mister’s repellant is 100% safe. Being biodegradable, the service does not harm the surrounding ecosystem and the people nearby the misting sprays. Not only that but we at Mr. Misters mosquito control pledge 100% satisfaction in regards to our services.

Mr. Mister is Eco-friendly

Mr. Mister’s mosquito formula is 100% safe AND biodegradable. Therefore, your friends, family, and pets will have no negative effects. We offer 24/7 mosquito prevention with automatic mister. Another option is Mr. Mister ClearZone, where Mr. Mister’s professional technicians come mist your home approximately every 21 days.

We have an excellent organic insecticide made out of Essentria IC3 and BTI. These treatments are made from bacteria toxic to only mosquitoes and no other insect. This treatment is necessary every two weeks. Mr. Mosquito even has a specialized green team with additional training for our eco-friendly products.

Pollinator Friendly

Pollinators, such as bees, are very important to our ecosystem. Pollinators help disperse seeds for plants to grow. These plants include fruits and vegetables for us to eat, and some of the plans also reduce soil erosion. Pollinators help over 180,000 plants grow, thrive, and disperse their seeds. Without pollinators, there would be much less produce and crops for humans to consume, and our nutrients and health would suffer. Many pollinator populations, such as Monarch Butterflies, are decreasing. It is important to protect these creatures. And we, in Mr. Mister’s Mosquito Control Company, are proud to say our products are pollinator friendly and safe.

Extra Measures

Put screens on your windows and doors to prevent mosquitoes from entering your home. You can also make use of personal mosquito repellent during your outdoor time. Some mosquito repellent bracelets work, but the hard facts are that most of them rarely succeed in repelling mosquitoes. However, if you do get the correct bracelet, it can last up to ten days. The other repellents usually last for only a few hours, so this could be an add-on to your action plan for mosquito control. Of course, if you create a mosquito-free zone with Mr. Mister, you shouldn’t need repellent.

Alternatives

Mr. Misters offer other mosquito protection options besides insecticides. Though, these prevention techniques are not as thorough and long-lasting as the insecticide alternative. Bee-friendly mosquito traps are an additional option that can be provided by Mr. Mister mosquito control.

Types of Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes are part of the Culicidae family. Culicidae has approximately 3,600 different types of flies in the family, not just mosquitoes. Throughout the six continents, there are 2,500 species of mosquitoes. Other examples of vectors that carry diseases include ticks and fleas. In Spanish and Portuguese, mosquito even translates to “little fly.” There are many species of mosquitoes. The three most common types in the United States are Aedes, Culex, and Anopheles mosquitoes.

If Aedes mosquitoes carry a disease, it is most commonly the Yellow Fever, Chikiyunga, or Zika Virus. Within the Aedes species, there are two particularly dangerous mosquitoes, Aedes Aegyptia or Yellow Fever mosquito and Aedes Albopictus or Asian Tiger mosquito. The Aedes mosquito can be identified by its black coloring with white marks. These mosquitoes come out during the day rather than at night or dusk. These mosquitoes tend to thrive in urban areas and are beginning to adapt to tropical settings as well. When freshly laid, the Aedes larvae are white but quickly turn a shiny black color. These eggs are attached to the sides of stagnant water containers, such as vases or buckets with water inside.

The Culex mosquito can distribute the Yellow Fever virus as well as poses a danger to animals by spreading heartworm. These brown mosquitoes can also pass Eastern Equine Encephalitis. These mosquitoes are mostly found in rural and urban areas. They come out at night. Culex larvae lay white eggs close together, which soon turn brown. These eggs are laid floating in the water, common to stay around ponds and gutters.

Anopheles is the only mosquito that can spread Malaria. They have also earned the name Malaria Mosquito for this reason. These dark brown mosquitoes with scaly wings tend to bite humans and animals in the evening. These white mosquito eggs are laid to float on water one at a time. They can commonly be found in bird feeders, buckets, etc.

It is important to be able to identify the different types of mosquitoes, as can be seen in the photos below:

Aedes mosquito:

Culex mosquito:

Anopheles mosquito:

Being aware of what mosquito larvae and eggs look like can make or break your preventative cycle against spreading the mosquito population and the illnesses that follow, as well as prevent the growth of the mosquito population as disease vectors. Knowing the different variations of mosquitoes can also help protect you, your family, and your pets.

Conclusion

Mosquitoes are active vectors of various diseases and are commonly found in yards and stagnant water sources. Though female mosquitoes only live approximately 45 to 55 days, they still have the ability to transmit dangerous illnesses. On the other hand, male mosquitoes only live approximately 10 days but do not even feed for blood. Instead, they eat nectar and other types of juices. In order to lay their eggs, female mosquitoes need protein from blood. There are many species of mosquitoes, all with unique breeding habits. Over time, scientists and engineers have come up with dozens of attempts at mosquito control. But not all efforts have been successful, and many types of repellents are toxic to humans, animals, and the rest of the ecosystem. Mr. Mister’s mosquito misting service is an effective mosquito control system that forms a protective layer around your yard for a mosquito-free zone. The fine mist that the system comes with is 100% biodegradable and safe for people and pets. Mr. Mister guarantees a safe and secure yard through its manual and automatic mosquito systems. It is a reliable go-for option to make your yard a mosquito-free zone.