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Don’t let a tick make you sick | Lyme Disease Awareness Month

With the April showers behind us and May flowers starting to bloom, warm weather is finally here! With warmer weather brings more outdoor activities, as well as the possibility of a tick bite. May is National Lyme Disease Awareness Month and Mosquito Joe is joining the fight to protect families and furry friends from this tick-borne illness.

What is Lyme Disease?

Lyme disease was first detected in 1976 in Lyme, Connecticut and most commonly occurs in the Northeast, upper Midwest and mid-Atlantic regions. It is estimated that about 300,000 people are diagnosed each year.  Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. In most cases, the tick must be attached for 36 to 48 hours or more before the Lyme disease bacterium can be transmitted.

Signs and Symptoms

Early symptoms of Lyme disease usually begin from 3 to 30 days after being bitten by an infected tick. The most common early stage symptom is a rash where the tick was attached. This rash starts as a small red area that spreads outward to look like a bullseye. One may also experience flu-like symptoms, such as headache, fever, sore and aching muscles and joints, stiff neck, fatigue and swollen glands.

If you experience any of the following symptoms and have had a tick bite, it is important to seek medical attention. Untreated Lyme disease can produce a wide range of symptoms, depending on the stage of infection. Some of these symptoms may include fever, facial paralysis and arthritis.

Treatment

If you develop any of the above symptoms within several weeks of removing a tick, it’s important that you see your healthcare provider. When Lyme disease is diagnosed in the early stages, people usually recover rapidly and completely. In order to be treated, you will be given antibiotics by your healthcare provider, which most commonly are doxycycline, amoxicillin or cefuroxime axetil.

However, you can get Lyme disease again if you are bitten by another infected tick, so it is important to protect yourself from tick bites.

mosquito joe lyme disease

Preventing Tick Bites

Although it’s not possible to completely protect yourself from getting a tick bite, there are steps you can take to reduce your chances. Tick activity is higher during the warmer months, but ticks can be out anytime the temperature is about 45 degrees Fahrenheit. With the help from Mosquito Joe, you can get ahead of any tick problems you might have this season, while also implementing the following habits:

  • Keep grass short and underbrush thinned at your home.
  • Move wood piles away from the home.
  • Wear light-colored clothes to help you spot ticks easily.
  • Check your body for ticks and shower within two hours of being outdoors.
  • Move swing sets, sandboxes and other play areas to avoid tick bites.
  • Keep pets out of thickly wooded areas where tick activity is high and talk to your veterinarian about tick control options.
  • Let Mosquito Joe be your second line of deference for these intruders by getting a barrier spray that rids your yards for mosquitoes, fleas and ticks.

When you come in from the outdoors, always do a thorough check on yourself, your family and your pets. When doing a tick check, remember that ticks liked places that are warm, so make sure you check the back of your armpits, scalp, back of the neck and behind the ears.

But what if I do get a tick bite?

If you do find a tick on you or your family, there’s no need to panic! The key is to remove the tick as soon as possible. There are several tick removal devices on the market, but fine-tipped tweezers also work great. Follow the below steps on removing a tick:

  1. Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible.
  2. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this does happen, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you are unable to do so, leave it alone and let the skin heal.
  3. After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
  4. Never crush a tick with your fingers. Dispose of a live tick by putting it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag/container, wrapping it tightly in tape, or flushing it down the toilet.removal of tick

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/removing_a_tick.html

Don’t be ticked off this summer

Let Mosquito Joe be another line of defense against tick-borne illnesses by applying a barrier treatment to your property. A trained and certified technician will treat your yard with an effective solution that eliminates mosquitoes, ticks and fleas for 21 days. As an alternative to our longer-lasting synthetic treatment, our all-natural solution repels mosquitoes immediately. This less-adhesive yet effective option requires treatment on a 14-day cycle.

If you’re still not sure if Mosquito Joe is right for you, give your local MoJo a call or request a free quote online. We are dedicated to making outside fun again for you and your family and our job is not done until you are happy!

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Spring is weeks away, call us and pre-pay!

The days of warmer weather and blooming flowers are right around the corner…and so are mosquitoes, ticks and fleas.  As the temperature begins to rise, pest activity will too. Did you know that mosquitoes, ticks and fleas become active once the temperature reaches and stays above 50 degrees consistently? Spring into action by making sure you are prepared to enjoy your outdoor space as soon as possible!

Being able to sit outside and enjoy your outdoor space, instead of swatting at those pesky mosquitoes, is one of the great reasons to give your local Mosquito Joe a call.  Another exciting reason is the opportunity to pre-pay for the entire season!

What are the benefits of pre-paying?

  • Save 10% on mosquito, tick and flea control so your family can enjoy being outside again.
  • You can relax during the summer months without worrying about ongoing pest control payments.
  • Enjoy an itch-free yard all summer long. A night on your back porch without any mosquito bites? Yes, please!
  • Get the kids (and pets) outside – who needs a babysitter with an itch-free yard?

To take advantage of this great offer, request a quote to the right or give us a call at 855-ASK-A-JOE!

New here? No problem! We offer a wide range of services that will keep you protected all season long. Our barrier treatment protects you and your family from mosquitoes, ticks and fleas for 21 days after application. Using a backpack sprayer designed for precise application, an expertly trained and licensed technician targets shrubs and bushes with a barrier spray that outdoor pests on contact. The solution bonds to foliage, where it acts as a repellent for weeks to come. Within 30 minutes of treatment, your yard is ready for family and pets to come out and play!

As an alternative to our longer-lasting synthetic treatment, Mosquito Joe offers an all-natural pest control solution.  Our all-natural solution repels mosquitoes, ticks and fleas immediately but has less adhesive properties than our synthetic treatment.  Because of this, we require spraying on a 14-day cycle to ensure adequate protection.

Our technicians are trained pest control experts dedicated to one thing: getting rid of mosquitoes, ticks and fleas so you can enjoy being outside again.  We do not require customers to sign contracts, which gives you the flexibility you need to fully enjoy your outdoor space.

And if you’re a returning customer, we’re glad to have you back! Thank you for an amazing 2018 and letting us make outside fun again for you and your family. If you have any questions about the pre-pay program, just give us a call and we’d be happy to get you on the path to an itch-free 2019!

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Share the Mojo

Want even more MoJo? Refer a friend and get a $25 credit! Our Share the MoJo program allows you to refer up to 20 friends a year, which could get you $500 in account credits. So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and text, call or post on their Facebook and share this one-of-a-kind deal.  Visit our dedicated website, SharetheMoJo.com, so you and your friends can start saving today!

At Mosquito Joe, we take our job of keeping your yard itch-free seriously.  With our licensed technicians and a passion for making outside fun again, our job is not done until you and your family are happy. Save yourself some bucks and a lot of bug bites, give us a call today to kick-start your spring with pre-pay!

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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!

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Preparing Your Yard for Spring…and Mosquitoes

Spring is in the air, and so are the mosquitoes. As temperatures begin to warm up and you start to transition your wardrobe from fuzzy sweaters to raincoats, we want to make sure you’ve got some helpful tips for preparing your yard for some outdoor (itch-free) fun with your friends and family. Once temperatures stay consistently above 50 degrees we’ll begin to see some increased mosquito activity. Who would’ve thought that preparing your yard for the spring season could also prepare you for the arrival of mosquitoes?

Mosquitoes lay eggs in standing water, so it’s best to empty bird baths, ponds, planters, toys or anywhere else water may gather. Drilling holes in tire swings, trash cans and recycle bins allows water to drain out easily. Repair any leaky outdoor faucets to avoid water pooling underneath them. Finally, keep your grass and shrubs cut short. Mosquitoes are shrub hoppers and gather to rest in shady, cool areas which is why it’s best to keep your yard weed-free and avoid any overgrown vegetation.

With over 3,500 species of mosquitoes out there laying 100-300 eggs at a time, they just can’t wait to start bugging us!

Once your yard is ready, get outside and enjoy some fun spring activities:

  • Have a picnic with your favorite snacks
  • Plant your favorite spring flowers
  • Get a box of colorful chalk and turn your sidewalks into a mural
  • Take a walk around your neighborhood
  • Fly a kite on a breezy day
  • Play catch, throw a football back and forth or kick a soccer ball around
  • Blow bubbles with the young (and young at heart) kids in your life

Have you pre-paid for your 2020 season yet? There may still be time to save in your area. Contact your local Mosquito Joe to get a free quote for professional, ongoing defense in your yard. Treatments are tailored to your property and our products are applied by certified and trained technicians.

Don’t forget about ticks! Mosquito Joe rids your yard of ticks too so your family and pets can enjoy outside. Visit our Tick Control page for some background on ticks, the diseases they carry and some helpful tips for keeping your property ahead of tick issues.

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National Clean Out Your Inbox Week

It may come as a surprise to most of us that this week is National Clean Out Your Inbox Week! An entire week has been dedicated to helping us organize our email inbox and increase our productivity. Many of us are guilty of hanging onto too many emails that we just don’t need in our inbox anymore, making it difficult to find the ones that we actually do need. Below are a few tips and hints we’ve compiled here at the Corporate office to help your inbox stay clean and your mind become refreshed.

Organize your email account into folders or categories – The quickest way to organize an inbox is to set up folders based on categories, topics, projects, collaborators, or things you deal with on a regular basis. Most platforms allow you to customize titles, statuses, and colors.

Implement automatic rules/filing – Creating rules within your inbox is a great way to ensure tasks are happening automatically, which saves you time. These rules will ensure that certain emails are filed automatically based on their sender or subject matter. You can even create rules that send “junk mail” right to a folder to be checked later.

Take advantage of the search function – Once your emails are filed in their special category, you may need a little help finding them. This is where your search function comes in to help. You can search emails by contacts, attachment title, subjects, or even keywords that you know are mentioned in the body of the email.

Take action to every email – Try to deal with every email as it arrives. Flag it, respond to it, file it, or delete it.

Sync your mobile email to your main account – We spend a lot of time on our smartphones, so making sure your email account is synced is critical to getting your emails taken care of on the go.

Unsubscribe – Don’t be afraid to unsubscribe. If it no longer pertains to you, it’s ok to move on. It’s also a good idea to have an alternate email address to use for coupon deals, promotional pitches or subscriptions to keep your regular account less cluttered.

We believe in you and your ability to conquer your email inbox this week! Whether it’s personal, business, or for fun, it’s important to stay organized to better improve your productivity.Your local Mosquito Joe may not be able to help you organize your inbox, but they can definitely help you get your yard itch-free and get your family spending more time outside this year!

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