Don’t let mosquitoes take a bite out of business

Most people care little about taking as many measures as possible to avoid mosquito bites. They slap on some mosquito repellent and go about their business. It’s a different story, however, when a mosquito-borne disease hits a specific locale. When people learn that a single bite can mean a deadly disease or health issues for newborns and the elderly, this pest suddenly becomes Public Enemy No. 1.

Why are mosquitoes so difficult for pest management professionals (PMPs) to control in terms of keeping the customer happy?

▶ One bite and you failed, unless you sold the job with the understanding that they will only get bitten less.

▶ Mosquitoes are breeding next door, 200 yards away or 2 miles away, depending upon the species.

▶ You are at the mercy of the weather. Rainfall helps mosquitoes, but when it is dry, some species deposit more eggs close to the structures.

▶ The number of locations in which mosquitoes can breed depends on what you find. Bird feeders, unused kiddie pools, boats stored on a property, rubber tires and a host of other items are obvious locations. Telling a customer to eliminate all outdoor containers that are holding standing water is not enough, either — what about an inverted bottle cap, a small puddle on a roof or a bit of leaf debris in a gutter?

▶ As soon as a window or door screen rips or gets a hole, mosquitoes have an uncanny ability to find it as a successful entry point. The homeowner, meanwhile, may not discover the hole for months.

▶ There is some evidence to indicate that mosquitoes prefer to select people with Type O blood. Other factors attracting mosquitoes to humans can be body heat, dark clothes, body odor and bacteria present on the surface of the skin. People who are ill or breathing heavily will give off more carbon dioxide than those who don’t and are thus more attractive. My personal experience is that cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) pick up on this, too.

▶ Just because people say they are getting bitten by mosquitoes doesn’t mean it’s true. Biting flies, such as midges, deer flies, horse flies or others, could be the culprit. When setting up a mosquito management program, confirm that mosquitoes are the source.

Where the wild things are

My residence is on a golf course adjacent to the Everglades in South Florida. For the past 25 years, our neighborhood has not been considered the best location to purchase a house. Is it the good-sized alligators, skunks, coyotes and armadillos we see daily? Or maybe the python snake that shows up now and then? Nope. It’s because there are too many mosquitoes. Because the areas around us have been built up with highways, buildings and other infrastructure, the mosquitoes have found the only green space left is in residential yards. You can be bitten at any time on any day, morning, midday or dusk. The four best tips I give my neighbors are:
1 Don’t leave your exterior doors open. Go in and out fast and shut the door.

2 Keep plants inside. If you are going to keep potted plants outdoors, fill the bottom catch pans with sand.

3 Take extra care of your tropical plants. If you insist on maintaining bromeliad plants in particular, place several drops of mineral oil in the leaf axils — where the leaf or petiole meets the stem, like an armpit. Check the health and mosquito-free status of these plants at least once a month.

4 Carry and use mosquito repellent. When out walking or playing golf outdoors, don’t leave home without it. — A.F.