Mosquitos: The Danger and How to Avoid It

The Mosquito. This tiny parasite is one of the most dangerous creatures alive.With news coverage of West Nile Virus, it seems that many people realized that the mosquito is more than just an annoyance with it's itchy bites. Well before the popular scare of West Nile, the mosquito was a plague over most the world. According to the World Health Organization between 710,000 and 803,000 children died of Malaria in the year 2000 alone. Mosquito's have carried this virus for years, and it remains one of the worlds most dangerous diseases. Mosquito prevention however has it's own problems, currently the EPA is looking into different Mosquito control programs, and how effective they are.

The Mosquito prevention question has caused many people to look into different ways to combat this dangerous pest. Misters, automatic systems that spray pesticides at specific times when Mosquito's are usually active and are attached to the sides of houses, became widespread from 2003 to 2005. However, these systems are currently under investigation by the EPA as no human check is made to make sure that the system follows labeling laws for chemical application. Other systematic approaches using manual treatments by a technician are also used, but no system currently on the market can eleminate the threat of Mosquitos and the diseases they carry.

In the 1950's widespread use of DDT from trucks misting over neighborhoods provided substantional control of this pest before DDT was restricted by the EPA for contamination of food and water supplies. While DDT is only mildly toxic to human being's, it remains in the ecosystem for a very long time causing damage to wildlife. The use of DDT for mosquito control is still used outside the United States, where enviromental protection is more lax, however even DDT was unable to provide complete protection, even if it did contribute to the large reduction of malaria cases in the US, following the 1950's.

So what can be done to protect yourself from Mosquitos? The first is manual landscaping to remove, or reduce their habitat. Bushes around a house should be trimmed to a point where soil beneath them is kept as dry as possible. Drainage of rain water should be consistent so that no standing water is left around the home. Vine's and Ivy are favorite breeding spots for Mosquito's and should be kept to a minimum. Gutters should be kept clear of debris to make sure water is not trapped in them. The underneath of decks and porches should be kept as dry as possible, using yard rock, salts, and sand can keep these areas dry.

Chemical treatments can also help reduce populations. For adult mosquitos monthly spraying of a mild pyrethroid over bushes can kill many adults and keep the population low. Make sure when using a pyrethroid spray (the active ingredient in a chemical can be determined as a pyrethroid if the ingredient ends in -thrin, or -thrins) that you follow the label instructions, and that you make sure that the chemical is said to be plant safe.

Larva of mosquito's can be treated with granular products containing Methroprene. Spreading these granulars around moist areas of your yard interrupts the larval growth cycle causing them never to mature into adult mosquitos. Treatment of larva should be done at the same time as the pyrethroid treatment.

Keep in mind that no treatment, whether chemical or manual, will eliminate all mosquitos around your home. Citronella candles around your home will help when you are outside as well as insect repelent with DEET in it. Taking these precautions can dramatically reduce your exposure to Mosquito born illness, as well as the uncomfortable itching that is the major reason we all hate these miniture vampires.