Category Archives: Mosquitoes in the News

In many places throughout the country, the peace and enjoyment of a pleasant evening outdoors is disrupted by annoying, biting mosquitoes. This warm-weather pest can be a real nuisance and put a damper on many outdoor plans and activities. What a lot of people don’t realize is many of these mosquitoes can also carry a variety of diseases that can be transmitted to both humans and pets. Depending on the type of species, some mosquitoes can transmit diseases that result in a lot more than just an itchy rash. One such species will be arriving in certain areas of the country soon, with predictions of more widespread activity throughout this summer.

A New Threat Has Arrived

Scientists have identified a new species of mosquito—Aedes scapularis—that can transmit several nasty diseases. They’re warning residents in specific areas of the country that this new species is capable of transmitting diseases like yellow fever virus, Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus, dog heartworm, and other pathogens. This non-native mosquito currently has a wide range, from Texas to parts of South America and throughout much of the Caribbean. It has also become widespread in several South Florida counties, and experts predict many other areas could be highly suitable for the species to thrive and multiply. Researchers, using a process known as ecological niche modeling—a machine-learning algorithm that predicts the potential distribution of the species across regions—identified as many as 16 counties in Florida as “highly suitable.” Other areas like Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, and parts of South Carolina could become potential breeding grounds for the species to spread.

Related Topic: What Can You Eat to Deter Mosquitoes?

Increased Awareness and Vigilance Recommended

As a result of these findings, researchers suggest you take extra precautions when venturing outside during the spring and summer months. Bug sprays and candles can only do so much when it comes to repelling mosquitoes. Here are some other easy-to-follow tips to help you prepare for the upcoming, mosquito-heavy months:

• Keep vegetation pruned.
• Remove any standing water.
• Avoid wearing dark colors at night.
• Keep pets inside at night.

Heavy vegetation provides an ideal environment for insects. Keep plants and shrubs pruned on a regular basis to help reduce the insect population in your backyard. The same is true for any standing water—the most favorable habitat for mosquitoes to grow. Survey your backyard for any areas where water may accumulate and eliminate them, if possible. When you’re outside, especially during dust and evening hours, avoid wearing colors that are more likely to attract mosquitoes. And finally, try to keep pets inside at night. Pets that are left outside overnight are susceptible to mosquito bites, which can transmit diseases like heartworm.

Related Topic: What Colors Attract Mosquitoes?

Taking Back Control of Your Backyard

Dealing with mosquitoes in the spring and summer has become a yearly ritual for many homeowners. Mosquitoes, even ones that don’t carry harmful diseases, can disrupt a peaceful, enjoyable spring or summer respite by driving both people and pets inside for shelter. But as the weather turns warmer, everyone wants to be outdoors enjoying the summer activities we missed during the winter months. Don’t let the threat of mosquitoes keep you inside this season. Take back control of your backyard with a call to the professionals at Mosquito Joe. They offer a variety of services—barrier spraying, natural treatments, misting systems—that will help you enjoy your backyard and make the outdoors fun again!

Each year Mosquito Joe recognizes the importance of Mosquito Control Awareness Week through our Beat the Bloodsuckers campaign. Our goal is to raise awareness in the communities in which we operate about the importance of mosquito control and the amazing work of non-profits like blood banks and Nothing But Nets. Although this week falls during one of our busiest months of the year, it does not stop our passionate franchisees from giving back in their communities. This year, National Mosquito Control Awareness Week(MCAW), recognized by the American Mosquito Control Association, fell on June 24^th – June 30^th, and it was a memorable week for Mosquito Joe.

Mosquitoes date back to over 100 million years, which means they’re not going anywhere anytime soon so it’s important to protect your families and furry friends. Not only are they nuisances who ruin your outdoor fun, but they can transmit dangerous diseases such as Zika, West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE). The diseases mosquitoes carry make them one of the deadliest creatures on earth, responsible for over 1 million deaths every year. Luckily, here in the U.S. we’re able to combat these pesky bugs with a professional mosquito control service like Mosquito Joe. Our franchisees are dedicated to spreading awareness about mosquitoes and the illnesses they cause as well as working to fight off mosquito populations in their local areas. MCAW brings professional mosquito control to light and we’re thankful for this opportunity to give back.

Beat The Bloodsuckers

This is Mosquito Joe’s sixth year participating in our Beat the Bloodsuckers campaign. Franchisees had the opportunity to partner with a local blood bank in their area or with our philanthropic partner, Nothing But Nets. Mosquito Joe locations across the country joined with local blood banks donating 10% of new customer sales from that week to their blood bank of choice. This year we were able to donate over $7,000 and partner with 26 blood banks!

For the second year in a row, Mosquito Joe partnered with Nothing But Nets, a global grassroots campaign that was established in 2006. Since then, they’ve raised over $65 million to help deliver 12 million bed nets to families in need, along with other crucial malaria interventions like diagnostic treatments and training of healthcare workers. A mosquito net sent to someone in need is just $10; for every new Mosquito Joe customer signed during MCAW, a net was sent! This year our company raised over $24,000, sending 2,413 life-saving nets during Mosquito Control Awareness Week to those in need!

The Buzz!

Our amazing franchisees were out there rocking it in their local communities to spread awareness around the importance of mosquito control. Mosquito Joe locations were featured 131 times across the U.S. and secured 14 TV segments in just one week. We’re excited so many franchisees were able to further educate their communities on mosquito control, and how important it really is to keep our families and furry friends itch-free! Check out a few highlights below:

• Mosquito Joe of Lafayette-Lake Charles: Southern storms have nothing on this company called ‘Mosquito Joe’
• Mosquito Joe of Springfield: Save your blood for donations instead of giving it to mosquitoes
• Mosquito Joe of Baton Rouge: Officials offer tips during national Mosquito Control Awareness Week
• Mosquito Joe of Spartanburg: Mosquito Joe Celebrates Sixth Annual Beat the Bloodsuckers Campaign

We’re very proud of our franchisees and so happy we were able to give back to these non-profit organizations by supporting the amazing work that they do through our 2018 Beat the Bloodsuckers campaign. Mosquito Joe continues to partner with Nothing But Nets through our ongoing MoJo Bites Back campaign. To support us in our mission, consider donating to our MoJo Bites Back campaign as we raise funds for malaria and bring awareness to malaria-stricken areas. It will only cost you $10 to send a net; make a difference for a family in need today

Thanks to our participating franchisees, each blood bank that we partnered with, Nothing But Nets, and our AMAZING customers that helped make this year’s Beat the Bloodsuckers campaign the huge success that it was.

With mosquito borne illness on the rise and locally transmitted cases of Zika making headlines daily, people are naturally concerned about local vector control. In the fight against mosquitoes and the diseases they carry, local governments are feeling the pressure to formulate plans to keep their residents protected, especially in areas where Zika has been detected. For this reason, as the need to reduce the mosquito population and the spread of vector borne illness intensifies, aerial spraying is something that could be making headlines in your area.

What is Aerial Spraying?

Aerial spraying is the use of airplanes to treat large areas with insecticides as safely, quickly, and efficiently as possible. These products (which may vary by area) rapidly reduce both young and adult mosquitoes and can help to reduce the number of mosquitoes that carry the Zika virus and other mosquito borne illnesses.

A typical aerial-spraying program involves loading a solution of the insecticide and mineral oil in tanks. Nozzles create droplets that can get past the crowns of trees to hit the mosquitoes and areas where they live. Planes fly 100 to 300 feet above the ground.

Benefits of Aerial Spraying

• Aerial spraying does not pose a health risk to humans, pets or wildlife when done correctly. During aerial spraying, a small amount of insecticide is sprayed over an area, usually about 1 ounce per acre or about the size of a football field.
• Products that are being used are EPA registered. The EPA registration tells you that the product has demonstrated that it should not cause adverse effects on your health or the environment when used according to label instructions.
• While it is only part of the solution for controlling mosquitoes, aerial spraying is a method that can quickly reduce the number of mosquitoes in a large area.

Challenges of Aerial Spraying

• Weather conditions. There has to be ideal weather conditions for the planes and the product to be applied accurately. This can sometimes cause delays in treatment or directly impact its effectiveness.
• Mass, less targeted approach. Unlike Mosquito Joe mosquito control treatments that are directly tailored to each individual property, aerial spraying is a mass approach to mosquito elimination with no room for customization. It’s a one size fits all solution.
• The risk to beneficial insects. While the product can’t differentiate between insects that do important work and the ones that can make life difficult for us, there are ways that aerial spraying can be done to minimize the risk to beneficial insects. For example, spraying should be done during the time honeybees are inside their hives (dawn and dusk) to avoid adverse effects to the bee population.
• Communication and timing. The general public has no control over when aerial spraying is done, and as with any situation when there is a need to get information to a large amount of people, it is hard for local agencies to get the word out about plans for spraying. Most agencies will mention it in the news and place it in the newspaper, but unfortunately that word doesn’t reach everyone. If the communication doesn’t reach you, you might not be able to prepare. While most people don’t need to do anything to prepare, for some, like beekeepers, that information could be vital.

 Alternative Options to Aerial Spraying

Regardless of whether or not aerial spraying is part of your city’s plans, there are plenty of actions you can take to help protect your family from mosquito bites:

• Reduce standing water. Reducing sources of standing water in and around your yard can help eliminate breeding areas for mosquitoes.
• Cover yourself. Mosquitoes feed at dawn and dusk, so if you’re going to be outdoors make sure you are in long sleeves and pants to avoid bites.
• Professional mosquito control. Services like Mosquito Joe’s barrier spray treatments can keep your yard itch free, on your terms. These treatments are applied on a regular basis (every 2-3 weeks) and tailored to your yard, offering ongoing protection for your outdoor space.

Aerial spraying is one example of how municipalities are joining the fight against mosquito-borne illness by reducing the mosquito population. We encourage you to stay educated on what’s going on in your community and ensure you have an adequate defense plan of your own for mosquito control around your home.

More information on Zika or other mosquito-borne illnesses can be found Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. For more information on professional mosquito control options or to get a quote for a service plan for your home, check out MosquitoJoe.com.

Last week in California, public officials warned that the drought that has 93% of the state in “severe drought” status could cause higher cases of West Nile in the state this year. That may sound odd since mosquitoes depend on water to breed and thrive, but it’s actually birds that could contribute to the increase of the virus this year. That comes on the heels of preliminary numbers released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in January that showed California was still the leader (and by quite a bit) of West Nile cases with 538.

In parts of Southern California, mosquitoes haven’t gone into hibernation. The state has been stuck in a persistent drought, which has tricked mosquitoes into thinking it’s still summer and there’s been no rain fall to flush them out of storm drains, so you’ve got a lot of mosquitoes.  Since they’re breeding at high rates, the trap counts are showing mosquito counts at where they would typically be in June or July.

An estimated 70 to 80 percent of people who contract the West Nile virus show no symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About one in five people who are infected will develop a rash, plus other symptoms like headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting or rash. Less than 1 percent of people infected with the virus will develop a serious neurologic illness, like encephalitis or meningitis, according to the CDC.

If you’re in California, there are some easy precautions you can start taking to make sure you lessen the risk of mosquitoes breeding in your yard.

• Mosquitos breed in standing water so regularly empty ponds, bird baths, fountains, plant pots, buckets, barrels, tarps, kid toys, pet water dishes or anywhere else that water may gather.
• Clean out gutters and examine them for damage that would cause water to collect.
• Drill holes in tire swings, trash cans or recycle bins so water drains out.
• Keep swimming pools clean, properly circulated and filtered. Keep children’s wading pools empty and on their sides when they aren’t being used.
• Cut grass and shrubs short, as adult mosquitoes gather to rest in shady, cool areas. Keep your yard weed-free and avoid overgrown vegetation.

And if you’re interested in the Mosquito Joe opportunity, we’d love to hear from you. You could be the neighborhood hero keeping Californians enjoying that perfect weather and staying safe and itch free.

In the news this week you may have noticed articles with eye catching headlines about genetically modified mosquitoes being released into the Florida Keys. In a nutshell, Florida is waiting for the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to approve an experiment in which a mosquito would be used as a drug to cure (stay with us, we’ll explain) some of the diseases mosquitoes can carry, specifically Aedes aegypti, a tiger-striped invader whose biting females spread these viruses.

Over the past year we’ve been keeping you updated on Chikungunya as it crossed into the United States in the summer of 2014. The disease is not fatal, but can be extremely painful if contracted. Also more common in the southern United States is Dengue fever. Dengue can cause high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, joint pain, muscle and bone pain. With Chikungunya having the same symptoms and neither one having a cure, researchers are constantly looking for ways to stop these illnesses from spreading.

This is where the British company Oxitec comes in with a strategy to use the mosquito as a drug and possible solution. Oxitec has been altering the DNA of the tiger mosquito, releasing bioengineered male mosquitoes into the population. The modified males then mate with wild females, whose offspring die before reaching adulthood, thus reducing the population. Oxitec has already conducted experiments in other countries that have reported favorable results. Company spokeswoman Chris Creese said the Florida test will be similar in size to Oxitec’s 2012 experiment in the Cayman Islands, where 3.3 million modified mosquitoes were released over six months, suppressing 96 percent of the targeted bugs. Oxitec says a later test in Brazil was also successful, and both countries now want larger-scale projects. Oxitec has built a breeding lab in Marathon and hopes to release its mosquitoes this spring in Key Haven, but FDA spokeswoman Theresa Eisenman said no field tests will be allowed until the agency has “thoroughly reviewed all the necessary information.”

The necessary information Eisenman is referring to includes questions the public has been asking like what if altered females (the gender that bites for blood) are mistakenly released into the wild and as such, what if I get bitten by a modified mosquito? Does this genetically altered DNA affect me? Oxitec says the proteins are non-toxic and non-allergenic, yet public concern remains high throughout Florida. The FDA will be reviewing all data from past experiments before allowing this to happen in the United States.

It is important to remember that at the end of the day, we’re all trying to solve the same problem and that is eliminating mosquitoes and keeping our communities safe and healthy. This experiment is one way people are looking to research, and ultimately science, for a unique solution. We trust that the FDA will do their due diligence to cross off any health or safety concerns and make the best decision for the end goal.

Regardless of the ultimate outcome, you should always be mindful when outdoors around prime mosquito feeding times (dusk and dawn) to stay protected from mosquito borne illness, especially in Florida. It’s best to have an active form of protection against mosquitoes in your yard, like the barrier spray treatments we offer, but at a minimum make sure to wear long sleeves and pants when outside during peak mosquito times and eliminate standing water in your yard. Want more tips? Contact your local Mosquito Joe!