Tag Archives: halloween

Don’t Cancel Your Mosquito Control Service Too Early!

 

Although the weather is warm and the sun is shining, fall is just around the corner. Summer months coming to an end does not necessarily mean we’re saying goodbye to warmer temperatures, or those mosquitoes, just yet. Canceling your mosquito control service might be on the top of your to-do list since cooler months are ahead and kids are back in school, but don’t let dropping temperatures trick you into ending your mosquito control service early! It’s important to continue with your barrier spray treatments so you can maintain a protected outdoor area for you and your family. After all, the air will be cooler and the humidity will subside; making it the perfect time of year to sit outside and enjoy a glass of wine or watch the kids play in the backyard after school. We wanted to share some information around the importance of completing the full season of barrier spray treatments before you consider canceling service.

If fall is quickly approaching, why continue service?

The last few sprays are some of the most important for a couple of reasons. Mosquitoes can be tricky creatures. They lay eggs, hibernate, and can survive some pretty frigid temperatures. The only things necessary in order for eggs to hatch are water and temperatures consistently above 50 degrees. This means mosquitoes may be continually living and breeding in your yard all year long. If you end your season early, female mosquitoes will have a chance to not only make your yard a home, but also to lay more eggs before the first freeze. Up to 300 eggs at a time to be exact! It is absolutely vital that our technicians get rid of those mosquitoes and mosquito larvae, by treating unavoidable areas of standing water which will keep your yard winterized. This will also keep ticks and fleas at bay.

It’s important to continue your barrier spray treatment as long as possible so you can continue to enjoy your yard as long as possible and ensure an itch-free start to 2019. If you have any questions about your season, contact your local Mosquito Joe, and they’ll be happy to explain the process to you.

Fall sports or events coming up? We’ve got you covered.

We offer commercial and special event sprays which could be great for fall sports and events. If your kiddos play football or soccer and you’d like an itch-free playing field, don’t hesitate to give us a call this fall! Because let’s face it, there is nothing worse than trying to cheer on your kids and enjoy a good game of ball while swatting away those pesky mosquitoes. We’d love to continue to partner with local sports leagues in our communities and ensure everyone’s eye is on the ball, not their ankles. Have an outside wedding or birthday party on the horizon? We can help keep mosquitoes off of your guest list so you can enjoy that special time together with family and friends. Call your local Mosquito Joe for more details!

Don’t let those mosquitoes trick you into ending service early or overlooking any commercials or special event sprays that may be necessary. You’ll thank us later!

Back

Last Minute DIY Halloween Costume Ideas

Here in Virginia Beach, the weather is perfect for pumpkin picking and trick-or-treating which is only a few days away! Oops, did you forget that Halloween is next week? While some people have costumes prepared months in advance, others may be scrambling for things to wear to Halloween parties and trick-or-treating this weekend. And your kid’s decision to be Batman three months ago may have changed a dozen times between then and now, leaving you with some creative sewing to do!

Well, no need to fear, Mosquito Joe is here to help with some last-minute, do-it-yourself costume ideas for everybody! Whether you’re looking for a solo costume, something to wear as a group, or something for the little ones, these costumes are sure to catch some attention for their creativity and simplicity.

Halloween Costume Ideas for Couples/Groups

  • Google Maps – Never get lost again with this hilarious costume that lets you and a partner be point A and point B on a Google Maps route. All you need are cardboard and markers for the headpiece and some yellow duct tape, a printer, and tape to create the street view on your shirt.DIY Halloween Costume
  • Fruit of the Loom – I give full credit for this costume idea to my parents who wore it to a Halloween party a few years ago. The essence of this costume for all members includes balloons, tights, a hat, and gloves of the same color. Apply the balloons to each person with some tape, and you’re on your way!
  • Three blind mice – Perhaps the most famous of nursery rhyme trios, the Three Blind Mice make for a simple and hilarious Halloween costume. Grey long-sleeved shirts and leggings, walking canes, sunglasses, and mouse ears are all you need to complete this look.

Halloween Costume Ideas for Singles

  • Brawny man – It couldn’t get much easier than this costume that only requires a red and black flannel shirt, jeans, work boots, and a roll of paper towels (still in the wrapper).
  • Operation game man – People love Halloween costumes that play on fun childhood memories. And what better way to play on them than to become the subject of a great (and very annoying) board game from the ’60s – Operation! You’ll need a nude colored shirt and leggings, red and white construction paper, and some tongs. The great thing about this is no buzzing sound!
  • Bags of jelly beans – Use sharpies on a clear plastic bag to draw a jelly bean picture or logo of your choosing. Then wrap yourself in the bag, cut out head, arm, and leg holes just big enough to fit through, and fill the bag with colored balloons!

Halloween Costume Ideas For Kids

  • DIY Halloween CostumeBoxes of candy – You are what you eat, right? So why not transform the kids into their favorite candy for the night? Find a cardboard box large enough to comfortably fit your child, and color the outside according to whichever candy wrapper you’d like. Then cut head and arm holes into the box, and you’re done! A matching pair of tights and gloves adds a nice finishing touch.
  • Stick figure – A white shirt and pants, black electrical tape, a piece of paper, string, and a marker are all you need for this one. Draw a simple stick figure face on the paper, cut it out in a circle, and tie it around the head to cover the face. Then place electrical tape on the shirt and pants to create a stick figure image. It’s best to do the last step while your child is wearing the outfit so everything lines up accordingly.
  • Carl from “Up” – This costume idea is a real crowd pleaser as Up is one of the most beloved Pixar movies ever made. A brown sweater, white shirt, red bow tie, brown pants, and square glasses will be needed to make the outfit. You can make a small walker by using pvc pipe and placing tennis balls on the end. To complete the look, tie a few colored balloons around your child’s waist. Don’t worry, they won’t float away!

We could go on and on about creative Halloween costume ideas to fulfill your last minute needs. If you’re still stuck, you can even ask Siri! That’s right, the new iPhone update will provide DIY costume ideas when you ask Siri what you should be for Halloween. My personal favorite: dress in all black, and stand in front of people all night. You’ll be an eclipse.

Happy Halloween from your friends at Mosquito Joe! We’d love to hear about your costume ideas, so don’t forget to comment here and post on our Facebook page. And if you are still in need of mosquito control services this year, call your local Mosquito Joe for service. Many of our southern locations will continue to operate for weeks to come!

Back

Mosquito Control Tips in the Fall and Winter

Halloween is this weekend and it sure snuck up on us (perhaps because of the almost 80 degree temperatures in Virginia Beach), but that coffee drink menu and everyone’s Pinterest boards tell me the pumpkin has arrived! Yes, Fall is here and bringing with it the end of the mosquito treatment season for many (though not all) of our locations. That said, until you’ve had your first frost and temperatures consistently stay below 55, you may still see those pesky mosquitoes buzzing around.

Those are who lucky enough to still be enjoying this warmth and sunshine should still rely on Mosquito Joe services to keep your yard itch free, but if you’ve already switched from A/C to heat and you’re putting on your jacket in the morning, mosquitoes are probably fading from your mind. What you may not know is that there’s still some precautions to take in the fall and winter months to maintain a mosquito-free yard, even after your last spray. Here’s what you should know:

In the autumn months after mating, male mosquitoes die. But did you know female mosquitoes actually hibernate? That’s right, they can actually survive the winter months. In the spring when the weather warms up, they seek blood to feed on so they can lay their eggs. All mosquito larvae (eggs) require water, even in winter, and mosquito larvae can last years. As the water temperature drops, it basically creates a dormant stage in the mosquito larvae called diapause, which stops further development. Development resumes when the water warms again. They’re just full of tricks, aren’t they?

So as you’re outside this weekend trick-or-treating, raking leaves, or just enjoying some cooler temperates, remove all standing water from your yard and remove objects like toys or flower pots that can collect rainwater. This will ensure that come springtime, you don’t have an early hatching.

And for all those customers who have seen the yellow MoJo van for the last time this season, we say THANK YOU. We love making outside fun again and you give us the opportunity to do that. Happy Halloween from all of us at Mosquito Joe! We hope it is full of lots of treats, no tricks and definitely no mosquitoes!

Back