This is my first diary , so I'll apologize in advance for the errors and
protocol gaffes that doubtless will be made. Also , not gonna include links , but you can get more info and clarification of anything I fumble at the CDC's website. They , and the World Health Organization are the real authorities and who to go for to get latest and most complete info.
Mosquitoes. They carry a number of often deadly diseases , and our summer months bring them out in droves . Midwestern flooding will likely produce many opportunities for enhanced reproduction for these biting insects - My intention is to pass along tips to help individual homeowners , renters , and property managers help control mosquito populations with minimal effort and expense.
Most of my experience since college has been as a public health worker. I was not assigned to mosquito control per se , but did receive
a great deal of classroom and field training in that area of public health. What I did always had potential mosquito infestations lurking around the periphery of other activities and investigations in which I was involved , so I've seen first hand the life cycle of these insects taking place , and seen the gratifying effectiveness of some easy , inexpensive control measures anyone can take.
Number one , do not give mosquitoes a place to breed . They breed in still , warm water , but not so much in shallow water exposed directly to several hours of bright sunlight a day. Swimming pools are not mosquito incubators if circulation pumps are in use and chlorination is taking place ; look elsewhere if you are concerned about a neighbor's pool , unless it is dark with algae to the point juvenile mosquitoes are protected from sunlight. Look instead at small containers of water , many of which may surprise you.
In your yard , buckets , paint cans , soft drink cans and bottles forgotten in a corner can collect water and produce thousands of mosquitoes in a single season. Almost all species that will breed near people will bite people , so be aware that several of those kinds of mosquitoes can have high potential for carrying and transmitting serious illness causing microbes directly to your bloodstream.Remove those forgotten containers , and make sure that items you need to keep around get the water dumped out regularly. The Book says , usually , that 10-14 days are needed for the reproductive cycle of mosquitoes to be completed . I can promise you that in as few as 4 days you can have mosquitoes reappear ; however , wherever , and at whatever point the latest breeding cycle began.
Under your house , that's a great breeding spot . If during construction or repairs a paint or adhesive bucket was left underneath , water might stay in the thing for years in many US climates. Mosquitoes will use them. Also under porches. Also decks , whether low or elevated . Many people don't go under even elevateed decks but for rare instances, and really don't know if a child playing with a sand bucket or an old pot may have left a wonderful beginning for a bumper crop of biters.
Above your house. Not where you might think , but if you have rain gutters along eaves , you might have another super breeding spot. Shade trees , or a buildup of leaf or conifer needle debris can furnish the protection from bright direct sun that mosquitoes need to breed. Clean 'em out , and consider having removeable wire mesh covers installed to greatly reduce the frequency of cleanings needed . Might help save you from replacing your roof as soon , too , which is a fairly substantial side benefit.
And tires. As if designed to breed mosquitoes , an auto or other tire stored where rain can get access to it , and with no rim to keep that rain out , Oh My , as if designed. If you have one you can't for some reason get rid of , a couple of teaspoons of table salt placed in water during each warm month will make them inhospitable to the nasty little critters. Old tires without rims often find their way onto vacant lots in a lot of neighborhoods , as well as unfriendly littering or even dumping
of trash , may result in circunstances you can guess at. Either make a complaint to your local health department , local law enforcement agency , or organize a few folks to casually swoop in and pick up trash to be disposed of properly , if you think that is safe where you live. Wear heavy work gloves , tough leather boots coming well over the ankle if you do that , and be careful of opportunities to get cut , stuck , or bitten by anything.
Use repellents when playing or working outside . don't screw around with a few mosquito bites and be tough. I'm a big , tough guy , and some
of the microscopic organisms carried in mosquitoes digestive tracts can kill me very dead , even though my Doc is very smart and tough. Enjoy your BBQ , don't swim while drunk , and clean them skeeters up!
P. S. Don't know how your county or municipal health department is staffed and funded , but a call may allow you to make an appointment with
a person who can point point out lots of things you might never notice on your place. We were really good ; maybe your civil servants are as well.