After our prolonged winter weather – extending well into mid-April – everyone seems pretty happy that spring is finally here and summer is just around the corner. The only negative I can think of that comes with the warmer weather is mosquitoes.  Mosquitoes are not only annoying, but can also cause painful, itchy bites. Besides being a nuisance, mosquitoes can also transmit serious disease problems to us and our pets.

In 2017 the U.S. Centers for Disease Control reported West Nile virus infections in 47 states and Washington, D.C. Other diseases transmitted by mosquitoes in the U.S. include chikungunya, dengue, Eastern equine encephalitis, malaria, yellow fever and Zika virus. Needless to say, it’s important to protect yourself, your children and your pets from mosquitoes throughout the spring, summer and fall.

A few tips to reduce mosquito bites when you’re outdoors would be to:

• Inspect your property for clogged gutters or downspouts that could provide breeding areas for mosquito larva.
• Eliminate water holding containers on your property or frequently change the water in bird baths, planter pots or children’s pools.
• Trim overgrown plants that could harbor mosquitoes or provide resting areas.
• Use a fan to circulate air on your deck or patio when you’re outside in the evening.

More tips on how to minimize mosquitoes on your property can be found at:

http://www.owentree.com/mosquito_control.php

Here are some facts you might not know (or might not want to know) about mosquitoes:

• More humans are killed worldwide by mosquitoes than any other animal – even other humans
• Some mosquito species travel more than 70 miles from their breeding site to where they end up feeding.
• A female mosquito can take in up to three times her body weight in blood in 90 seconds. The protein in blood is necessary for egg production.
• Male and female mosquitoes feed on plant sap, nectar, or honeydew (a sugar-rich substance excreted by aphids) for energy.
• Mosquitoes have been used as biological weapons, such as when Napoleon flooded the plains around Mantua, Italy to increase the spread of malaria.