As Fort Worth residents, we know the value of outdoor activities. From sporting events to some of the finest public parks in the state, we have everything we need to enjoy the great outdoors (even if it feels hotter than 10,000 suns most of the time). While years in the Texas heat has gotten us about as used to it as anybody can be, there is one downside to being outdoors that we’ll never get used to- the mosquitoes.
Mosquito Misconceptions
When you’re the victim of a mosquito bite, you don’t give it too much thought. Sure, it can be itchy, but, aside from putting some lotion on it, we don’t worry a lot about mosquito bites at all. However, in this case, what you don’t know actually can hurt you. For instance, you probably didn’t realize that roughly one in three hundred mosquito bites result in disease. These diseases include the Zika virus, the West Nile virus, the chikungunya virus, dengue, and malaria (none of which are anything to mess around with). They’re actually considered one of the most dangerous animals in the world because of the startling death tolls from mosquito-borne illnesses. These are estimated at over 2.5 million per year out of 500 million total cases. On a positive note, another little-known fact about mosquitoes is that the female mosquito is the only one that bites and transmits disease. These female mosquitoes, however, are very sneaky. You’ve probably noticed how many of your past mosquito bites did not hurt, they just itch after the fact. That is because the female’s mosquito will numb the skin before feeding. This natural adaption helps the mosquito feed longer without being noticed, and lengthy exposure to the mosquito’s feeding tube puts you at greater risk for disease incursion.
So, What Should You Do?
Once you’re a little more clear about what goes on when you’re bitten by a mosquito and the risks involved, you can respond in a few different ways. First of all, to treat an actual bite, you can wash the area to reduce the chance of infection, use ice to soothe the itching and swelling, or use an anti-itch cream such as calamine lotion. Next, you’ll want to do everything you can to reduce your risk of getting bitten again in the future. After all, you want to enjoy the outdoor activities on your property rather than worrying about mosquitoes the whole time. Here are a few helpful tips on avoiding mosquitoes on your property:
- Eliminate standing water: mosquitoes use any standing water on your property as a breeding ground. This includes birdbaths, landscaping decorations, flower-pots, and buckets that get left out in the yard.
- Limit dawn and dusk activity: if you’re wanting to avoid mosquitoes, the beginning of the day and the end of the day are when they’re most active, so schedule your outdoor activities around these times.
- Wear light-colored clothing: mosquitoes are most attracted to people who wear dark clothing, people with blood type O, and women who are pregnant. While you can’t do much about those last two factors, at least you can try to avoid dark clothing.
- Ditch your heavily scented shampoos: this is a huge attraction for mosquitoes and puts you at much higher risk for an attack.
Hopefully, these tips can help you get back to enjoying the outdoors instead of constantly swatting at mosquitoes, but even these tips won't help once mosquitoes have a foothold in your property. The best way to get rid of mosquitoes permanently and safely is to trust the professionals at All-Safe Pest & Termite. Contact us today for more advice and assistance on taking back your outdoor fun.