Monthly Archives: May 2020

Romping through the fields, roaming the woods, barreling through the bushes, your pup is an explorer! But all that running through the tall grass can attract some unwanted passengers—ticks!

It’s important to check your dog and other outdoor-going pets for ticks on a regular basis. But what is the most thorough way to search for these pesky parasites?
Let the insect experts at Mosquito Joe offer some tips on how to check your dog for ticks!

When to Check Dog for Ticks

How often you check your dog for ticks can change depending on where you live, how present ticks are in the environments you frequent, and how often you’re outside with your pet.

Tall grass, woods, and fields can all be breeding grounds for ticks and likely places for them to hitch a ride on your hound. If you live in an area with a significant tick population, your dog should be checked daily. If ticks are less present where you spend time day to day, focus on checking your dog after hikes or time spent where ticks could be present.

How to Check Dog for Ticks

Ticks can be found in your dog’s fur before they have attached themselves or may feel like a small bump on the skin once they’ve bitten the dog. The best method for checking for ticks is carefully combing through your dogs’ fur and feeling the skin for bumps.
Keep your furry friend fiend-free by following these steps for how to check your dog for ticks …

Head start

Begin at the snout of your dog and, using your fingers like a comb, run your hands over the head and around the neck. Pay special attention to the ears and around the collar.

Body work

Make a thorough search of your pet’s entire body, combing with your fingers. If your dog has thick or extra shaggy fur, take the time to really comb through his or her coat.

Nooks and crannies

Be sure to evaluate any dark or hard-to-reach areas. Check the groin, under the front legs (armpits), under the tail, and in the ears.

Bug be gone

If you do happen across a tick on your dog’s skin, resist the urge to immediately pull it out. Use tweezers or a tick removal tool and pull it out slow and gradually. Place the tick in rubbing alcohol to kill it.

Kick the Ticks

The best way to keep pests at bay is to be proactive! Check your dog for ticks, especially after being outdoors and be thorough in your search and give your dog a leg up by using flea and tick medication to help repel parasites.

Finally, making your space tick-free can be the ultimate pest preventative! Call Mosquito Joe today at 1-855-275-2563 or request a quote online to make your backyard tick-free and your pets carefree!

If your dog is exploring outside, there’s a good chance he’s taking some of the outdoors with him indoors. Learn how to keep the floors clean with pets from our friends at Molly Maid, a fellow member of the Neighborly® family of home service brands.

If you’ve heard about The Murder Hornet, you probably are wondering what this insect is and if it could establish itself in the United States. As the experts in outdoor pest control, Mosquito Joe is here to answer all of the important questions you might have.

What is a Murder Hornet?

The Murder Hornet, commonly known as the Giant Asian Hornet, is one of the largest hornets in the world. With a body length of 1.98 inches and a stinger that is one-fourth of an inch, their stinger injects a large amount of venom into an insect.

Giant Asian Hornets are found in temperate to tropical regions in East Asia, South Asia and mainland Southeast Asia. They primarily feed on tree sap, larger insects and social insects such as honeybees and the honey they produce.

The Giant Asian Hornet in the United States

In September 2019, a colony was confirmed in Vancouver, Canada and was eradicated. Recently, there was a sighting of two Giant Asian Hornets in Washington state, one of them being dead. After further investigation of the other insect, it was determined that there was no evidence of an established colony here in the United States.

The biggest threat that the Giant Asian Hornet could impose is the destruction of honeybee hives. Floyd Shockley, the entomology collections manager at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, stated, “It’s important to focus on the facts, and the facts don’t support that this is an established invasive that’s going to destroy the North American honeybee industry.”

When it comes to Giant Asian Hornets and their threat to humans, Shockley also stated that there is nothing to worry about. While their sting is more painful than that of a honeybee, they tend to keep to themselves and are only dangerous when they feel provoked.

Mosquito Joe’s Pollinator Protection Management Program

Mosquito Joe understands that pollinators are a valuable part of the ecosystem, which is why we created the Pollinator Protection Program. Our Pollinator Protection Program is our conscious effort to minimize the harm done to our buzzing friend, the bee, while knocking out our pesky foe, the mosquito. The program is designed around three key areas:

1. Familiarity with customer property: A trained and certified technician will identify any flowering bushes, gardens and plants that attract pollinators and treat accordingly.
2. Application procedures: Technicians are trained to not spray within ten feet of plants that attract pollinators. Wind direction is also considered when spraying and may necessitate a greater standoff distance than ten feet.
3. Products: While pesticides are a potential factor to the pollinators, the concern is largely with neonicotinoids, a family of pesticides which we do not use. We also closely follow the manufacturer’s application instructions on the product label.

We pride ourselves on our communication with our customers, starting with education and then working together when we customize our treatment plan for each individual property.

Need To Treat That Sting?

Mosquito Joe has a treatment program to eradicate non-pollinator stinging insects such as wasps, hornets and ground-nesting yellow jackets. Wearing Personal Protection equipment, our technicians use an insecticidal dust formulation that is injected into the nest with a controlled device to eradicate the nest.

Are you ready to take back your yard? Reach out to your local Mosquito Joe to find a treatment plan that works best for your property.