National Mosquito Control Awareness Week 2015
They bite, they carry deadly diseases, and most of us hate them! But mosquitoes don’t just make you itch. Because they infect people, pets, and livestock with serious deadly diseases, such as malaria, dengue fever, West Nile Virus, chikungunya, and yellow fever, mosquitoes are often said to be the deadliest insect on earth.
This year National Mosquito Control Awareness Week is June 21 to June 27, 2015. The American Mosquito Control Association (AMCA), an international organization of nearly 2,000 public health professionals dedicated to preserving the public’s health and well-being through safe, environmentally sound mosquito control programs, was established in 1935 to educate the general public about the significance of mosquitoes and the important service provided by mosquito control workers.
Marsha Luna-Grover, a licensed owner of The Mosquito Authority, #1198, a Brick-based mosquito-repellant service for Ocean and Monmouth counties, provides information on how to minimize mosquito egg-laying sites or breeding grounds around home, identifies trouble areas, and sprays outdoor spaces so people can enjoy picnics, pool parties, barbecues, and other outdoor activities.
Lunar-Grover explains, “Mosquitoes don’t breed in shrubs; they breed in standing water. Check your gutters for any clogs and debris to eliminate standing water. Kids’ toys may gather water after rainfall so turn them over. Also change bird baths every seven days. Mosquitoes typically enjoy resting in moist shaded areas so we recommend maintaining shrubs, keeping the lawn trimmed, and removing any leaves left behind from fall and winter months. These are just a few of the helpful tips that homeowners can do to help alleviate mosquito breeding grounds and habitats.”
The Mosquito Authority suggests spraying every 21 days. “Once we spray,” Luna-Grover says, “you don’t have to slather yourself in mosquito-repellent products. You don’t have to use citronella. You just go outdoors and enjoy your backyard.”
According to the AMCA, “Bug zappers are useless against mosquitoes. Studies have shown that less than one percent of the insects killed by zappers are mosquitoes or other biting insects. The devices attract and kill beneficial or harmless insects, like moths, and have no effect on the overall mosquito population. Electronic repellers have also proven ineffective in scientific testing.”*
For more information, contact Marsha Luna-Grover, The Mosquito Authority, Brick, at 732-998-5019 or Marsha@bugsbite.com or visit www.BugsBite.com
*Sources: The American Mosquito Control Association; the U.S. Centers for Disease Control; the U.S. Department of Agriculture; and, entomology and agriculture departments at the University of California – Davis, Colorado State University, Rutgers University, University of Nebraska, and the University of Florida.