Mosquitoes And National S’Mores Day

Are you ready? It’s almost here. National S’mores Day! Yes, that’s a real thing! And, it is a super tasty day as well. But as dozens and dozens of people celebrate this soon-to-be-enormously popular occasion that will one day, most assuredly, have people traveling to see friends and family, and maybe even giving out gifts, they will be getting outside into nature to do it. Whether you celebrate National S’mores Day or not, if you like to make S’mores–and who doesn’t–you’re probably going to make them over a campfire because outdoor cookouts and S’mores go together like, oh, say, graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate. But when you get out into nature, there is a greater chance you may get bitten by a mosquito. Here are a few reasons why that is a bad idea, and a few things you can do about it.

Why Getting Bit By Mosquitoes Is Bad

We all know that mosquitoes are irritating little pests that leave itchy welts on our skin, that drive us nuts for days, especially if you’re the unfortunate type of person who can’t keep from scratching something that itches like crazy. But, mosquitoes are also able to carry and spread diseases. If the wrong species of mosquito bites you, you could get sick. Really sick.

Mosquito diseases are described with wonderful words like hemorrhagic fever, brain swelling, and break bone–none of which sound pleasant, and getting a mosquito-borne virus doesn’t end with you. Some viruses, like Zika and West Nile, produce symptoms in only a limited number of people. That means you could get a dangerous virus and be the host that spreads it to someone else.

If you would rather not be bitten by mosquitoes, or pass viruses on to other people, here are some tips to prevent bites:

  • Mosquito repellent is still the number one way to prevent mosquito bites. The most effective repellents have DEET, IR3535, or picaridin in them. If you don’t care to have these on your skin, consider spraying them on your clothing. There are also some repellent options that are all-natural, such as oil of lemon eucalyptus.
  • Not going out is a great way to avoid bites, but who wants to do that. The second best option is to not go out in the morning or evening when mosquitoes are most active.
  • Wear long sleeves and pants when possible.
  • There are also many clothing items that come with mosquito netting, take a peek online and find something trendy that will keep you safe.

National S’mores Day–which happens to be Aug 10th, if you were thinking about celebrating it–may bring you out into nature, so remember to take precaution if it does. We have a lot of mosquitoes in Atlanta, including the species that spread all the worst mosquito-borne viruses. Please stay safe. And if you’re planning on having an outdoor gathering at your home, consider mosquito control services for your yard from the professional pest control company that Atlanta trusts the most, Active Pest Control. We are the solution to all your Atlanta pest control needs. And remember, the best way to celebrate National S’mores Day is to do it without mosquitoes.

Zika Virus: Questions & Answers

There is a lot of fear right now over the threat of Zika virus in the United States, and justifiably so. This is a virus that has been proven to cause microcephaly in unborn children at all stages of development. It is also a virus that has spread at an alarming rate through Brazil and other South American countries. So we’ve asked our on-staff entomologist, Glen Ramsey, to address some of the questions we’ve been getting.

“Is the mosquito that transmits Zika found in the U.S.?”

Glen Ramsey: Yes. There are currently two mosquitoes in the U.S. that have the potential to transmit the Zika virus. Both of these are in the genus Aedes and both species exist throughout the southeastern United States, west all the way to Georgia and Tennessee, and north to Connecticut and possibly farther.

“Is Zika a new virus?”

Glen Ramsey: This virus is not new at all. The first recordings of Zika virus date back to 1947 with the first human case reported in 1952. Small outbreaks have been noted but have been located in Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands. Prior to 2007, 14 or so cases had been reported, but many more were suspected. The symptoms of Zika are similar to other diseases, and some cases were likely not reported.

“Why are we just now hearing about Zika?”

Glen Ramsey: It has come into more recent news because of the first confirmed case reported in Brazil in May of 2015. With evidence of local transmission and the mosquitoes in place, concerns grew rapidly for locations that have the mosquito vector already established.

“How can I protect myself from Zika and other mosquito-borne illnesses?”

Glen Ramsey: The best way to protect yourself from mosquito vectored disease is to prevent mosquito bites. Wear long sleeve shirts and long pants and use repellents. Repellents of choice should be registered with the EPA and contain one of the following ingredients: DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or para-menthane-3,8-diol. These have been tested for effectiveness and are considered safe when used as directed. Pregnant women should seek the advice of their doctors to determine which repellents to use safely.

“Are there pest control programs available to prevent mosquitoes?”

Glen Ramsey: While no program is going to completely eliminate all mosquitoes or chances for disease, mosquito reduction programs offered by established pest management companies can assist in reducing mosquitoes in your environment.

“Is mosquito abatement safe and effective?”

Glen Ramsey: If you choose a reputable service provider that makes specific assessments and targeted applications for mosquito reduction, then treatments are both safe and effective. It is critical that you ensure that your company of choice is registered to properly and safely perform mosquito management services.

We hope these answers helped you to better understand Zika virus and gave you actionable information to protect yourself and your family.

Zika Virus In Atlanta

In 2015, Atlanta had the distinguished honor of, once again, being added to the list of top mosquito cities in the United States. So, where did we rank in this list of 50 cities across this great land of ours? Did we make it into the top 10? We sure did! Not only did we make the top ten, we were number one! And, not only were we number one in 2015, we were number one for the two years before that. There is no doubt about it, Atlanta is number one. And, with the looming threat of a Zika virus outbreak here in the state, this has agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention watching Atlanta closely.

This is a virus that causes microcephaly in unborn babies at all stages of pregnancy. Microcephaly is a congenital condition that is characterized by an abnormal smallness of the head and incomplete brain development. For expecting mothers, this is a scary virus.

Reasons to not worry about Zika virus:

  • For 80% of those infected with the Zika virus, there are no noticeable symptoms. That means the vast majority of people don’t have to fear this virus like they would West Nile virus or malaria.
  • Zika is also not currently known to be spreading through local mosquito populations here in the United States. Cases that have been reported are from people who have recently been to other countries where Zika virus is rampant.

Reasons to be worried about Zika virus:

  • Since 80% of those infected with Zika don’t show symptoms and those that do will not likely admit themselves to a healthcare facility, Zika has the potential to spread great distances before it is detected.
  • This is not a virus pregnant women should take lightly. It is wise to take strong precautions to prevent mosquito bites if you are currently with child or attempting to become pregnant.
  • Atlanta’s high mosquito rating is an extra reason to be worried. More mosquitoes mean more chance of getting Zika or other mosquito-borne viruses. If you live in Atlanta, it is vital to learn all the many ways that mosquito bites can be prevented and to take a moment to develop an understanding of the importance of mosquito abatement.

At Active Pest Control, we work with homeowners, business owners, and municipalities to employ mosquito abatement in Atlanta and throughout Georgia. We encourage you to consider these services to help us reduce mosquito populations in our city and make Atlanta a safer place for all of us to live–and get ourselves off the list of top mosquito cities, for good. Now that would be something to be proud of.

Mosquitoes In Atlanta

Do you live in Atlanta? How bad do you think the mosquitoes are? They’re pretty bad, aren’t they? But are they worse than any other area of the country? How would you know? You can’t exactly count them. They’re everywhere. Well, thanks to a competitor, we finally have the answer. And the way they figured it out is quite clever.

According to this article when the company that shall remain nameless set out to determine the 20 worst mosquito-infested cities in the United States, they didn’t do it based on a head count of every mosquito. They chose instead to base their list on the number of calls received nationwide for mosquito control. It makes sense. The more people who come to the point where they are willing to spend their hard-earned money to get rid of a pest, the more of that pest there must be. So, what city hit the top of their list? That’s right. Atlanta.

Now you might be thinking to yourself, “I knew it!” because where you are in Atlanta, the mosquitoes are out of control. But I guarantee there is a group of you who live in Atlanta and think the mosquitoes are no worse than anywhere else. There is a good reason for this. Atlanta may have the worst mosquito problem in the country, but residents are doing something about it. They have the most mosquito control calls out of all the other cities in the country. If you were thinking, “I live in Atlanta and the mosquitoes aren’t so bad.” It may be that you live in a community where your neighbors are fighting mosquitoes.

Here’s how mosquito control works:

A typical mosquito will not travel more than 300 yards in its lifetime. That means that if it were possible to create a 300-yard barrier of mosquito resistant yards, all around the city it would be possible to keep most mosquitoes out. But a complete buffer is hard to accomplish because every business and every home would have to have mosquito control. The good news is, the barrier doesn’t have to be complete. Every property owner who chooses to invest in mosquito control adds to an intricate maze that mosquitoes have to navigate in order to get to the center of the city. With every home or business that adds mosquito control, Atlanta becomes less infested with mosquitoes.

The truth is we all have busy lives and we simply don’t have time for the annoyance of mosquitoes. Here at Active Pest Control, we are a locally owned and operated pest control company that provides mosquito control in Atlanta and has for decades. We know this city and we know how to protect its residents against annoying and potentially dangerous mosquitoes. Contact us today to learn more.