Mosquito control is vital
Springtime is great. Flowers are blooming, breezes are light and the night time temperatures make you want to sleep with the windows open. The only downside I can think of are the mosquitoes. This is their breeding season and with them comes the possibility of a serious illness - West Nile Virus. Stagnant water, dead birds and green pools are all breeding sites for the mosquitoes that carry the virus. In Maricopa County, fogging takes place to control mosquitoes but only in those places where their activity is heaviest.
The easiest way to avoid West Nile Virus is to avoid getting mosquito bites. Here are a few simple steps you can take.
1. Wear mosquito repellent when you are outside. Also put on long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
2. Eliminate mosquito breeding grounds in and around your yard. That means make sure your birdbath water is changed daily, that there aren't any saucers of standing water under your potting bench or plants, and that your pool or pond is properly maintained.
3. Check your screens on windows and doors for holes and get them repaired.
At Southwest Gardener we've found Mosquito Dunks to be a very safe, effective biological control for mosquitoes. Each dunk kills mosquito larve for up to 30 days. The dunks are safe for use in fish habitats, flower pot saucers, bird baths, rain barrels, roof gutters and animal watering troughs. The dunks can also be broken into pieces for use in smaller water areas. They cost $6.50 for a package of two.
About one in 150 people infected with West Nile Virus will develop serious illness, so it's not something to ignore, but with a couple of simple steps you can go a long way to protecting yourself and your family.
For more information go to http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/wnv_factsheet.htm
The easiest way to avoid West Nile Virus is to avoid getting mosquito bites. Here are a few simple steps you can take.
1. Wear mosquito repellent when you are outside. Also put on long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
2. Eliminate mosquito breeding grounds in and around your yard. That means make sure your birdbath water is changed daily, that there aren't any saucers of standing water under your potting bench or plants, and that your pool or pond is properly maintained.
3. Check your screens on windows and doors for holes and get them repaired.
At Southwest Gardener we've found Mosquito Dunks to be a very safe, effective biological control for mosquitoes. Each dunk kills mosquito larve for up to 30 days. The dunks are safe for use in fish habitats, flower pot saucers, bird baths, rain barrels, roof gutters and animal watering troughs. The dunks can also be broken into pieces for use in smaller water areas. They cost $6.50 for a package of two.
About one in 150 people infected with West Nile Virus will develop serious illness, so it's not something to ignore, but with a couple of simple steps you can go a long way to protecting yourself and your family.
For more information go to http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/wnv_factsheet.htm
Labels: control, mosquitoes, west nile virus