Category Archives: Mosquitoes in the News

We’re already halfway through the hottest month of the summer, but we’re also in the peak of another season that may not be on your radar: the season for mosquito borne illness. While the risk of mosquito borne illness is present whenever mosquitoes are, the heat of summer is when we start to see numbers really start to rise. This year, we’re not only seeing the reports of West Nile cases rising; we’ve got another one to watch as reports of Chikungunya fever continue to pop up across the country.

If you read our blog post in July about Chikungunya, you read about how the disease made its presence in the United States by travelers returning from the Caribbean. As of now, four locally transmitted cases have been reported in Southern Florida. While that brings concern primarily to mosquito control in Florida, researchers are worried about any area that contains the Asian tiger mosquito. The Asian tiger mosquito is the most aggressive and the most efficient at spreading the disease. The most common symptoms of chikungunya virus infection are fever and joint pain. Other symptoms may include headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, or rash.

West Nile numbers are also rising as it makes its presence known all over the country. As of August 12, a total of 40 states and the District of Columbia have reported West Nile virus infections in people, birds, or mosquitoes. In the United States, 124 cases of West Nile virus in people have been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Unfortunately, there is no vaccine or cure for West Nile Virus so prevention is important. Most people who become infected (80%) don’t even display symptoms, but those that do have high fever, nausea, and aching with joint pain.

Awareness of the dangers of mosquito borne illness is the first step to a safer summer; however, you should take appropriate actions to protect yourself this time of year. We’ve provided mosquito control tips for your backyard in past posts, and encourage you to protect your yard from mosquitoes with a professional mosquito control treatment, but no matter where you are outside, make sure to wear long sleeves and pants to avoid bites. Take particular care during dawn or dusk (prime mosquito feeding times) and take care of those around you as well!

With all the reports in the news about mosquitoes, many regarding the spread of West Nile and Lyme disease, it is no doubt you and your family are searching for ways to keep your yard bug and disease free. Throughout your research you probably saw four letters appear quite frequently: DEET. Now you may be asking yourself well, what is DEET? DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide) is the active ingredient in many insect repellent products. Sprays, lotions, wrist bands, and belt clips you see advertised for insect repellent more than likely have DEET as their main ingredient. And while the EPA says DEET is completely safe, research has argued if it’s truly as effective as often published.

Earlier this year a study done by scientists from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine showed that at first mosquitoes were repelled by the scent of DEET, but after just a couple of hours they would get used to it, and later just plain ignore it. Another study referenced on the CDC website shows that depending on the amount of DEET in a product, its effectiveness ranges from about an hour and a half for products with lower amounts of DEET to five hours for products containing a higher percentage of DEET.

It’s great to have an effective product but when it comes to enjoying your time outside, you don’t want to be restricted by a short time limit for effectiveness – you want a no-hassle, consistent and ongoing solution to keeping bugs at bay. While researchers continue to argue the effectiveness of DEET as an ingredient in mosquito repellents and how long it repels, avoid the guessing game and call Mosquito Joe. We’ll set up a barrier around your yard to keep mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks out for up to 21 days per service. Our certified technician will provide a customized treatment addressing all your problem areas and will return every three weeks for ongoing protection. Just like DEET, the chemicals used in our barrier sprays are EPA approved so once they’re dry (about 30 minutes) your kids and pets can go right back to playing outside. If you want an all-natural solution, we offer those treatments as well.

So as you consider your method of mosquito control this season, consider the consistent, affordable and convenient solution of Mosquito Joe. We offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee, (and we think you’ll smell a lot better than using those awful sprays), so find your local Joe and give us a call today. Let’s make outside fun again.

Photo credit: Fox News

In 1897 author David Flanery described an insect by saying it was “the shyest, sliest  meanest, and most venomous of all.” Unfortunately, he was not talking about something out of a horror film, he was describing a mosquito! Mega-mosquito, that is. The “gallinipper” is a floodwater mosquito with a body about half an inch long, making it twenty times larger than the average mosquito, and while the bite doesn’t actually contain venom, it is said to be very painful. While this type of mosquito is nothing new, they’ve made a lot of headlines lately as Florida could be set for an overabundance of the unwelcome insect this season.

University of Florida entomologist Phil Kaufman says in 2012 the state had a surge of the huge, biting insects and there is concern of a repeat. “I wouldn’t be surprised, given the numbers we saw last year,” said Kaufman, an associate professor with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. “When we hit the rainy cycle we may see that again.”

The female lays eggs in soil at the edges of ponds, streams and other water bodies that overflow when heavy rains come. The big problem with the gallinipper is their eggs can remain dry and dormant for years. All the eggs need to hatch is high waters to come along, like Tropical Storm Debby last year that brought on the surge of gallinippers. With those females having laid eggs, all it would take is one good rain for those dormant eggs to hatch. Even in their larval stage, gallinippers are so tough they’ll eat tadpoles!

The good news? These mosquitoes are not known to transmit any diseases so while they’re a nuisance, they’re not as dangerous as some other mosquitoes. The bad news? Kaufman stated that due to their size, these mosquitoes may be immune to insect repellents that contain the well-known ingredient DEET, meaning Florida residents will need to find an alternative to many of the off-the-shelf mosquito repellent products if they want to avoid a run in with these pesky fliers.

Will these mega mosquitoes become an issue in other parts of the U.S.? That may be the question in a lot of people’s minds as the press about gallinippers continues. Fortunately for communities with Mosquito Joe, the product used in our mosquito treatments IS effective on the gallinipper as well as your every day mosquitoes, ticks and fleas. We’re not in Florida yet but we’re planning to be there soon.

If Mosquito Joe is not in your area, why not become your community’s solution (and hero!) by opening your own Mosquito Joe business? We currently have franchise opportunities available across the U.S. Contact us for more information.

Source: https://news.ufl.edu/2013/03/04/big-skeeter/
(UF/IFAS photo by Marisol Amador )

More and more people are learning about Mosquito Joe and we couldn’t be more excited.  (Did you see Mosquito Joe in the Virginian-Pilot earlier this month?) The work we have done in Hampton Roads over the past three years has been nothing less than rewarding – helping families and friends enjoy their time together outdoors without the annoying need for smelly sprays and citronella candles creating a medicinal aura around the yard.  We are thrilled that we are now going to be able to reach so many more people with our mosquito control services – allowing them piece of mind when they think about the dangers of mosquito-borne illnesses as well as freedom to soak in the sunshine during the spring and summer months without all the smacking and scratching. Below is an announcement of our expansion. We hope you’ll share the news with your friends as well, and anyone you think might want to be a part of the Mosquito Joe family.  With Mosquito Joe, outside is fun again!

Mosquito Joe Expanding, Franchises Available Nationwide

Virginia Beach, VA, January 2013 –Locally based Virginia Beach company Mosquito Joe has been making outdoors fun again for Hampton Roads residents since 2010, using barrier sprays to protect their yards from mosquitoes. Now they are giving you the opportunity to do the same for your area as they recently announced they are offering franchise opportunities locally and nationwide.

Continue reading We’re taking on mosquitoes nationwide! →