4 Steps for Preventing Mosquito Borne Diseases and the Zika Virus

We know that mosquito control can be a real headache, especially right now with all of the worries of contracting the Zika virus. The Zika virus is a mosquito borne disease that has been getting national attention as of the last few months. The #1 way to prevent getting sick with the Zika virus is to prevent being bitten by mosquitoes.

Chasing mosquitoes off your property and away from yourself does not come down to a particular science. Certain products do not work well in certain environments. It is all about trial and error until you find something that works.  We have spent a good amount of time on location at our cabin testing products for repelling, trapping, and controlling mosquitoes.

We developed this exclusive 4 step process that will help you create a plan for controlling mosquitoes that suits you and your environment. Remember… true mosquito control is not just “spray and they go away”! That is an approach that will not last for very long at all. So here are the solutions that we have found work for the Ultimate Mosquito Control.

STEP 1: Find and Eliminate Mosquito Breeding Grounds

Mosquitoes do not require an abundance of water to breed. They only require a small amount of water in order to complete their life cycle. Females can lay their eggs in as little as 2 tablespoons of water. This water can range in quality from melted snow to sewage and it can be in any type of container imaginable.

Female Mosquitoes will lay their eggs in such places such as tree holes that periodically hold water, tide water pools in salt marshes, sewage ponds, irrigated pastures, rain water ponds, etc. The first and most important step to effective mosquito control is going to be to find any areas on your property that hold water.

You should start by removing any old tires, buckets, or other items that will hold water and are not being used. If you have areas that are holding water that you cannot remove, such as a pond, then you will need to treat these areas with a mosquito larvacide. We offer 3 great products that are going to rid your area of mosquito larvae in about 24 hours.

Mosquito Bits and Mosquito Dunks use B.T.I., a bacterium that controls mosquitoes and black flies in their larval feeding stages of development before they have a chance to grow into mature adult biting mosquitoes. Both of these products are toxic to mosquito larvae but absolutely harmless to all other forms of wildlife.

One other route that we also recommend is to use 100% all natural Garlic Mosquito Barrier mixed with canola oil to rid standing water of mosquito larvae. It is another safe way to rid standing water of the mosquito larvae.

STEP 2: Draw Mosquitoes Away with Mosquito Traps

The feeding habits of mosquitoes are unique in the fact that only the adult females are believed to bite humans and animals. Very rarely will a male feed on a human or animal. Females have to feed on a human or animal and get a sufficient blood meal before she can develop eggs. If they do not get this blood meal, then they will die without laying viable eggs.

This is what makes a trap so effective. The most effective traps use a combination of CO2 and various attractants to create human and animal-like characteristics tricking mosquitoes into thinking the trap is a living host that they can feed on. Mosquito traps are able to control the area population by luring mosquitoes away from your back yard and into the trap where they will dehydrate and die.

Within 4-6 weeks mosquito traps are able to effectively interrupt the breeding cycle to prevent future generations from becoming a nuisance. We know that not every person’s mosquito problem requires a large trap to get the job done.

We have personally tested and offer a wide variety of traps. Some use electricity while others are powered by propane. All of our traps are going to effectively lure in mosquitoes, it just depends on what type of area you are going to use your trap in to determine which trap will be the best type for you.

STEP 3: Repel and Kill Mosquitoes with a Misting System

For immediately repelling mosquitoes from an area give a mosquito mister a try.  Misting systems offer long-lasting protection against mosquitoes because they create a barrier between you and mosquitoes. There is a variety of misting solution concentrates including all natural versions, which not only repel mosquitoes but they will kill mosquitoes on contact. It is as easy as that! No bug bags to empty and no mosquito carcasses to dispose of.

Step 4: Use Personal Repellents or Appliances

Steps one through 3 will take care of the majority of your mosquito population, but to repel any stragglers we recommend using personal repellents such as the ThermaCell personal repellent appliance. These appliances are portable and will provide a 15′ diameter bug free zone.

You can also use products like Mosquito Barrier to create a barrier around outdoor areas that you frequent most often. Mosquito Barrier also offers the advantage of penetrating cracks and crevices that other mosquito control systems can’t touch.

We hope that you were able to take the information that we have provided and have a better understanding of mosquito control. If you still have questions or would like assistance creating a mosquito control plan that meets your individual needs, give our customer service department a call today at 1-866-667-8454. Here at NorthlineExpress, Home of the Buy and Try Satisfaction Guarantee, we are always happy to help.

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