It is important that every homeowner consider taking action to keep family and pets safe from the annoyances and potential harms that mosquitoes and ticks bring with them. To this end, the experts at Mosquito Shield have been busy researching the 2020 mosquito and tick season, and we hope you find this information helpful as you look ahead to the sun and warmth of the approaching summer.
NORTH ATTLEBORO, MA_The combination of one of the warmest winters on record and an extremely wet start to 2020 means most U.S. residents can expect above-normal mosquito activity this spring and summer.
While normally this would be cause for mild concern, what increases the risk of mosquitoes this year is the threat of EEE – otherwise known as “triple-E,” an encephalitis virus transmitted by mosquitoes. This virus is severe, triggering brain inflammation (encephalitis) and bringing with it a high mortality rate of 33% in patients who develop inflammation. While cases a still generally rare, 2019 was the worst year on record for EEE and 2020 will likely be worse.
Nearly 200 species of mosquito can be found in North America. The most common being the house mosquito, the southern mosquito, and the Asian tiger mosquito – each of which breed in still waters that include ponds, floodwaters, storm drains and water found in old tires and tree holes. They reproduce every 10-14 days and cannot be killed in the Larval and Egg stages, making them a uniquely challenging pest to contain and avoid. In fact, mosquito eggs can survive for up to a year outside of water.
While male mosquitoes feed on plant nectar, the females hunt by detecting body heat and exhaled carbon dioxide by humans, putting humans at risk of getting malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever, encephalitis and West Nile River – a disease that has become a serious threat in the U.S. over the past few years. Complicating matters this year is the COVID-19 pandemic, which may result in a season of increased mosquito/human encounters, as more local residents are relying solely on extended living spaces, such as yards and patios, for fresh air.
To reduce your family’s exposure to mosquito-borne disease, and to add a layer of comfort to your outdoor experience, area residents should consider deploying a prevention strategy to their properties. Such a strategy should include best practices such as removing standing water from your property. Cleaning gutters, removing stumps, and dumping water from containers are all recommended practices alongside raising low spots in the yard and properly disposing animal feces from pets and livestock.
However, even with best practices applied, most area yards require additional measures in order to keep everyone free from mosquito bites. Common options are store-bought repellants and expensive misting systems, although the constant need to re-apply repellants and the lack of control over misting products often result in imperfect outcomes for homeowners. What’s more, it is imperative to properly apply control products, as most are toxic when digested and can cause harm to fish and wildlife if improperly managed.
Specialists, such as Mosquito Shield, are often the more secure answer. Founded in 2001, Mosquito Shield has invested nearly two decades of research and development in the perfection of its Mosquito Protection Barrier™, which turns any treated property into a mosquito-free zone. Mosquito Shield is the only company that employs a responsive application schedule determined by pest activity, population analysis and local weather conditions, rather than spraying according to a predetermined schedule. This custom approach applies a proprietary blend of all-natural oils and select control products that kills existing mosquito populations, masks the mosquito-alluring CO2 that humans produce, and generates a repellent barrier around the properties on which it is applied. The service is performed entirely outdoors and no interaction with technicians is needed.
Our team will continue to monitor pest activity all season long and provide updates to keep you informed and protected!
