Tag Archives: mosquitoes

 

Mosquito-Proof Your Campsite

A camping trip is the perfect way to spend time with family and friends and de-stress. Here at Mosquito Joe®, we love getting outside and enjoying nature. That’s why packing up the car — or RV — and going camping is one of our favorite ways to unwind and spend time outdoors too.
Whether you and your family are chilling by the campfire, grilling out, playing by the pool, or relaxing in the backyard, mosquitoes and ticks can easily ruin your fun time. But Mosquito Joe knows that pesky outdoor insects aren’t confined to your backyard. While you might be familiar with how to make sure mosquitoes and ticks don’t impose on you and your family when you’re in your backyard, you might not know the best ways to deal with them when you decide to take the family on a road trip. We’ll explore how to keep mosquitoes away while camping so you and your family can spend less time trying to avoid these pesky biters and more time enjoying the great outdoors.

How to Keep Mosquitoes Away While Camping

Camping is a great way to experience nature, enjoy the outdoors, and connect with each other. However, troublesome mosquitoes can quickly turn a great camping experience into an itchy and uncomfortable one. Luckily, there are effective methods of mosquito control for camping that you can deploy to the good times rolling. We explain the best ways to keep mosquitoes away while camping, the types of insect repellent to keep on hand, and even the best type of clothing to wear.

Steps to Mosquito-Proof Your Campsite

 

Mosquitoes are attracted to standing water, dense vegetation, and warm environments. By taking measures to mosquito-proof your campsite, you can significantly reduce their presence and likelihood of annoying you.

Here are some of our top tips for campsite mosquito control.

Assess Your Campsite

When considering how to keep mosquitoes away while camping, the number one thing to look for is standing water. Mosquitoes breed there, so make sure to eliminate any standing water from your campsite. A bottle cap full of water alone can breed over 300 mosquitoes. By removing stagnant water, you will ensure that more mosquitoes won’t appear.

Additionally, set up your campsite away from marshy areas, slow-moving rivers and streams, leaf debris, and heavily wooded areas. These landscapes are more attractive to mosquitoes and ticks; mosquitoes prefer damp areas, while ticks like taking shelter in shady spaces and areas with tall grass.

Choose the Right Equipment

If you’re roughing it and spending your camping trip in a tent rather than an RV, having the right tent works wonders for keeping mosquitoes at bay. Here are some factors to consider when choosing a tent for your next camping trip:

1. Purchase a tent with fine mesh screens. These screens have a tight weave that will keep mosquitoes out while still allowing for proper ventilation.
2. Choose a tent with a rainfly. A rainfly not only offers protection against the elements but also provides an additional layer of protection against pests. Ensure the rainfly extends beyond the mesh screens for added protection.
3. Consider a mosquito-proof entrance. Some tents are specially designed with entrances with double zippers and mesh layers. You can also get a tent with built-in bug repellent.

Keep Campsite Bug Repellent on Hand

Insect repellents line the shelves of drugstores during the summer months. Purchasing a bug spray that contains DEET will keep mosquitoes from biting while you’re pitching your tent, hiking, or biking.

For even more protection against these pests, pick up an insect repellent that is made with coconut oil compounds. A recent study showed that the fatty acids in coconut oil may be more effective at repelling mosquitoes and ticks than DEET.

You might also consider using essential oils. These extracts not only help you smell fresh while outdoors but can also repel annoying mosquitoes. Rosemary, thyme, eucalyptus, lavender, mint, and tea tree oils are effective insect repellents. These essential oils can act as a natural remedy for itchy mosquito bites. Check out our blog to learn more about how you can use these home remedies to relieve uncomfortable bites!

Wear the Correct Gear

If you plan on hiking, horseback riding, or fishing on your camping trip, be sure to pack and wear clothing that will protect you from mosquitoes and ticks. White and light-colored clothing will make you less attractive to mosquitoes. These pesky insects see dark colors better than light, so stay cool and avoid mosquito bites with light-colored clothing. When roaming in high grasses or heavily wooded areas, wear long pants tucked into socks and closed-toe shoes to prevent insects from attaching to your exposed skin.

Minimize Odors

One of the best tips for how to keep mosquitoes away while camping is to minimize odors. Certain odors emitted by our bodies and various camping items are natural attractants for mosquitoes. Here are some ways to minimize these odors:

• Avoid fragrant products – Mosquitoes can be drawn to perfumes, scented lotions, and soaps. Use unscented personal care items on your camping trip to avoid drawing mosquitoes to you.
• Keep your campsite tidy – Keep garbage tightly sealed (or better yet, get rid of it immediately) to prevent odors from attracting mosquitoes. Store food in tightly sealed containers and wash dishes immediately after meals.
• Use natural mosquito repellent – Certain scents naturally repel mosquitoes. Essential oils such as citronella, eucalyptus, and lavender can help deter mosquitoes. Use them as a bug repellent or set up diffusers around your campsite.
• Use citronella candles or torches – Assuming you are allowed to burn at your campsite, these candles or torches can be great for keeping mosquitoes away and provide you with a more enjoyable camping experience.

Mosquito-Proof Your Campsite

Camping can be fun and a great experience for the entire family. Taking the steps outlined above will help ensure your camping experience is memorable for all the right reasons. And when it’s time to relax in your outdoor spaces at home, following our advice can help keep mosquitoes and other pests away. If you’re looking for an easier, more efficient way to keep pests away for your outdoor fun, request a free quote from the local bug experts at Mosquito Joe. Because no matter where you spend your time outdoors, we know how to make it fun again!

Some of the most exciting moments of the summer occur outdoors. Between sports, backyard barbecues, and sunbathing, there’s never a shortage of things to do! One of the most annoying things about enjoying the outdoors are mosquito bites. Who wants to spend the first few innings of their baseball game swatting? And nothing ruins an outdoor wedding like taking your eyes away from the bride and groom to relieve the itch from a bite. We know how awful mosquito bites can be, so here’s some information on how you and your family can ditch the itch this summer.

Why do mosquito bites itch so much?

Mosquito bites appear when a female mosquito draws blood from a host. (Fun fact: Only female mosquitoes bite!) These bites can appear as small read bumps on the skin or as larger swollen areas. When mosquitoes draw blood, a protein is released into the blood system, causing general irritation of the skin and of course, itching.

We all know the automatic reaction to a mosquito bite is to scratch, however, this can lead to further irritation as scratching can damage the skin and lead to infection. So, what can you do? Here are some DIY remedies you can use:

One of the simplest ways to alleviate the itch of a mosquito bite is to apply a cold compress to the affected area. A small bag of ice can help reduce swelling and redness as well as temporarily soothe any itching. If you don’t have ice, a bag of frozen peas is a great alternative. Don’t worry, we’re not judging!

If you frequently get sunburned, you likely have the next ingredient in your cabinet. Aloe vera is a great, natural anti-septic that can help ease the pain of mosquito bites. You can use aloe vera gel which is available in most supermarkets or, you can get an aloe vera plant and scoop out the fresh gel. Another method is to remove the gel from the plant, blend until it reaches a smooth consistency, pour into an ice tray, and freeze. This makes for an easy application with less mess and a satisfying cooling sensation.

Another remedy that you may have at home is honey. While it’s most famous for being a natural sweetener, honey also has a number of antibiotic properties that can help combat irritation from mosquito bites. Using this ingredient, you can get rid of the itch fast and protect the area from infection.

Typically used in skincare, witch hazel is another household item that can be beneficial for fighting the itch of mosquito bites. Because it is an astringent, witch hazel helps lessen the irritation at the location of the bite.

Using essential oils to treat mosquito bites is a trendier solution. Natural oils such as lavender and tea tree oil help take out the sting and unpleasantness of mosquito bites, not to mention the added benefit of making you smell amazing. Be mindful when using essential oils, as a little goes a long way! You only need a drop or two diluted with a carrier oil (such as jojoba or coconut) or water to do the trick. Using too much can result in further skin irritation. To make this solution a little more convenient, you can create your own essential oil roller!

The most common ways to combat mosquito bites are applying common over-the-counter items such as hydrocortisone or calamine lotion. Both of these medicated creams help to relieve itchiness on contact and provide relief almost instantly.

The best way to protect yourself from mosquito bites is to make sure that your outdoor spaces have been treated by Mosquito Joe! Don’t let mosquito bites ruin your summer. Call Mosquito Joe today to ensure that you can enjoy your backyard without worrying about bites from mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas.

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.

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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!

 

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!

Want to earn $500 in mosquito treatments and become the most popular house on the block? We’ve got you covered! Our Share the MoJo referral program can save you and your friends a few bucks, and a lot of bites.

If you’re a Mosquito Joe customer, you know how glorious it is to enjoy your yard without annoying mosquitoes. But, are your friends still the main course in their own yards? By nature, we’re 30% more likely to trust a referral from someone we know rather than advertising, social network ads and even search engine marketing. If you recommend Mosquito Joe to your family and friends, it is because you’ve had a good experience and have been enjoying your itch-free yard. By participating in our Share the MoJo referral program, you could have everyone on your street wondering what all the buzz is about!

Whether you are an existing Mosquito Joe customer, interested in saving money on mosquito control or someone looking to make outside fun again for the first time, you can tell your friends about the Mosquito Joe service and you could each get a $25 account credit. Here’s how it works: refer a friend and when they sign up for a service they’ll get $25 off their first treatment and you’ll get $25 in credit towards future service. It’s just that easy!

What makes our Share the MoJo program so great?

• Both parties are rewarded: You get $25 off and your friends and family get $25 off too!
• Email & social media invites are available: You can send the referral to your email contacts or to your social network, and you can do it from the referral website.
• Share the MoJo bucks, a tangible coupon: Request bucks (or other Share the MoJo flyers) to be dropped off by your certified technician which can be passed out at the neighborhood park, pool party, bus stop, etc.

Want even more MoJo? Refer another friend and get another $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? Simply send your friends an email, give them a call or post a message on Facebook. We even have a dedicated website,  SharetheMoJo.com, where you and your friends can visit and start saving today!