How To Keep Uninvited Guests – Mosquitos – From Crashing Your Next Party!

SUMMERTIME IS HERE!

Although we get to enjoy beautiful days practically year-round living in sunny South Florida, summertime is the pinnacle for BBQs and pool parties.  I love to entertain and our backyard is the perfect place for a casual get together with friends and family, but when dusk comes, it brings with it uninvited guests – mosquitoes!

I am a mosquito magnet.  I could be in the yard with dozens of people and they seem to find ME.  A typical night goes something like this:

My hubby and I like to sit out back at night with a glass of wine, listening to music.  Then come the mosquitoes.  They don’t go for my husband, but directly for me.

I get bitten.

I grumble expletives under my breath and then explain that I was bitten.  My husband proceeds to say, “There are no mosquitoes out here.”

Really?!  Then how did these stupidly large welts appear on my arms/legs/feet?

MOSQUITOES FACTS

Did you know that aside from mosquitoes being an obvious nuisance, they can also be a health threat?  It’s no “new” news that mosquitoes have been known to transmit diseases such as Zika virus, Chikungunya virus, and West Nile virus.  It’s super important to take precautions to help prevent mosquito bites, especially this time of year.

TIPS TO HELP PREVENT MOSQUITO BITES

Outdoor Protection

If you know you are going to be outside, protect yourself!  Wear long sleeve shirts, tuck everything in – keep skin covered as much as you can!  Use EPA-registered mosquito repellent containing one of the following active ingredients:

• DEET
• Picaridin
• Oil of lemon eucalyptus
• Para-methane-doil
• IR3535

Make sure that there’s no standing water ANYWHERE in your backyard.  I always do a circuit of our backyard after a rain to double check to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.  Look in gutters, buckets, toys (even swim goggles!), and any other containers.

If you have a bird bath, be sure to change the water weekly.  Do the same with potted plants and any other containers that hold standing water.

If you have a pool, keep the water properly treated and circulating.

Those pesky buggers come inside the home too!

• Be sure to close any gaps you may have around windows, in walls and seal around any air conditioning window units.
• Patch up any holes in window and door screens.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

I needed to do something to prevent these pesky unwanted visitors from ruining my summer parties.   Orkin came to the house last week for our first service and I was almost as excited as if it was Christmas morning.

Our Orkin technician explained to us what the service consists of and what to expect.  Before treating the area, it is imperative that all toys are removed from the area that will be treated, along with:

• Pet food and water bowls
• Bird feeders attached to the home
• Make sure all windows and doors are closed
• Clean out any debris from gutters

He then geared up and went to work!  The product is spread using a blower which allows even distribution on trees and leaves (top and bottom where the mosquitos may hang out).  He sprayed the outside home walls, our umbrellas and wicker outdoor furniture as well.

The product adheres to the leaves, etc. not allowing the mosquitoes to hang out and breed; therefore decreasing the population around my home.  Stay tuned to find out how the treatment worked as I will be posting shortly after the next visit!

If mosquitoes are ruining your summer fun, contact the licensed pest professionals at ORKIN at 877-778-2497. Use my offer code Zero Bite (0Bite) for $50 off your first mosquito service!  This offer is only good via phone (number is above) and expires July 14, 2017 – haste makes waste!