May is Lyme Disease Awareness month. One of our very first customers called us because they suffered from Lyme Disease and wanted to make sure they were protecting their family and pets from the disease. As our name suggests, Mosquito Joe treats for mosquitoes, but we also treat for fleas and ticks. Since mosquitoes cause us the most instant annoyance when stepping outside, they tend to be the insect we are most often called for. Ticks, on the other hand, are more silent but the results of their bite can result in some serious health issues.

Lyme disease is caused by the Borrelia burgdorgeri bacterium and is carried and transmitted by the blacklegged tick. Initial symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue and a skin rash. The more serious issues arise if left untreated when infection can spread to the joints, the heart, and the nervous system.

The blacklegged tick is more commonly known as the deer tick. They have an interesting life cycle, beginning with the larval stage. These larvae are active in May to August and are most typically found in moist leaf piles. They will attach to small mammals and birds and remain attached for about 3 days before dropping off. Now known as Nymphs, they will remain at the edge of wooden areas and attach to smaller mammals such as mice, voles, cats and dogs, and, sorry to say, humans. Once fed, they again drop off and molt into adults. The adults are active from October to May and prefer animals such as the deer, or humans, for a blood source. The females (photo above) will lay an egg mass of 1,500-2,000 eggs before dying. And so the population explodes.

So how can you help control the population? Keep your lawn mowed and remove leaf litter in the spring. Try and stay on top of your pine needles piles as well, keeping the trails and paths in your wooded areas clear of vegetation. Of course, you can also add a tick service like ours to create a barrier around your property and keep them out.

If you want to get involved with fundraisers and awareness, visit the lyme disease website to learn more. 

May is also National Military Appreciation Month and we here at Mosquito Joe of NW Houston & S Brazos have a lot of appreciation! Our Lead Technician, Kyle, has been with us since 2015 and is a 17-year Navy veteran. Since hiring him we have learned the incredible value that veterans bring, not only when they serve, but after they retire. We made the decision to focus on hiring veterans and are working with the Texas Veterans Commission to grow our technician force. So far the Navy, Air Force and Army have been serving our customers with care, concern and a steady focus.

There are, in fact, 6 days of national observance in May that revolve around our military. Loyalty Day on May 1, Public Service Recognition Week, beginning May 6^th, VE Day on May 8^th, Military Spouse Appreciation Day on May 11th, Armed Forces Day on May 19^th, and finally Memorial Day on the 28^th.

April 22^nd, 1970 marks the birth of Earth Day. Millions of people gathered to protest the negative impacts of industrial development on our planet. Since that time, Earth Day has grown into a movement with participation by over 192 countries and over one billion people. Earth Day this year is focusing on ending plastic pollution. Currently, 300 million TONS (yes, tons!) of plastic is produced each year, and only 10% of that is recycled. According to some sources, more plastic has been produced and used in the last decade than in the entirety of the 20^th century. While the push to increase recycling continues, this year Earth Day Network is asking everyone to commit to reducing the use of plastics and instead switch to sustainable alternatives. You can learn more about pledging and committing to reduce waste by clicking here.

Houston has its own website for Earth Day where you can request more information, or you can like them on Facebook. Big changes start with each and every one of us, so get involved and start making an impact!

Speaking of making an impact, last year Mosquito Joe partnered with Nothing But Nets in their fight against malaria. For each new customer serviced during Mosquito Control Awareness Week, Mosquito Joe donated $10 to Nothing But Nets. Each donation paid for an insecticide-treated net for a family in Sub-Sahara Africa. We collected $14,100 in donations as a company and raised over $20,000 with donation matching. That’s over 2,000 nets! You can read more about the partnership here.

World Malaria Day is April 25^th, and what better time to reach out and make a donation! Every 2 minutes a child dies from malaria and nearly half the world’s population is at risk. Visit their website to learn more about Nothing But Nets. We look forward to continuing our work with them this year and with your help, plan on exceeding our donation from last year.

In keeping with our global outlook, we want to make mention of one last celebration this month! Arbor Day falls on April 27^th this year. There are so many activities and ways to get involved that it would be impossible to list them all here. You can visit this link for information specific to Texas and find some local goings-on, including Montgomery, Conroe, Brenham and Bryan.

Arbor Day has its roots in Nebraska when Julius Morton made his way there from Detroit. He became the editor of Nebraska’s first Newspaper and disseminated information on agriculture and trees to his audience. Pioneers who read his paper started planting trees to help protect them from the wind and to provide building material for their homes. These days, Arbor Day is recognized in all 50 states and looks to the future, rather than the past. Arbor Day is about recognizing the vital role that trees play in our world and the needs of future generations.

So this April, replace your plastics, donate a net and plant a tree! Together we can all make the world a better place.

If you are anything like us gardening starts in earnest this month! While our seeds have been germinating since last month, March is the best time to get outside and really make things happen. There are some really awesome (and free) sources on the web that can help. Check out this full list of veggies and the best dates to plant them and when to move those seeds outside organized by zip code.

Start in early March by mowing your lawn, even if it doesn’t need it. Mowing will prevent weeds from flowering and re-seeding. You can fill any bare patches, but wait to feed your lawn until it is actively growing. This is also a great time to get those seedlings planted, particularly your herbs, allowing them some time to get established before the heat really hits.  It is also the best month to plant your fruit trees and shrubs and spring flowers.  Prune your roses and Crepe Myrtles, but be gentle. There are a lot of great “how-to’s” out there on how to do it right, and it doesn’t involve butchering the poor things.

Spring into Gardening

Most folks start off the spring gardening season by laying out fresh mulch. There is no doubt that this one update can make a dramatic visual improvement to your yard. But did you know that mulch is full of mosquito eggs? It’s not something we gave much thought to until we started Mosquito Joe, but mulch contains thousands of eggs.

The first thing we do when the mulch goes down? We water it, unknowingly hatching all those eggs. Always let us know when you are preparing to put down new mulch. We will make notes in your service account and make sure the technicians treat that mulch for you to minimize the bites when you are outside gardening.

Another big preparation at our house is the annual unpacking of the Hummingbird feeders. We are up to about 20 at this point, and the number of Hummingbirds increases every year. March is the time to get those out – it may already be a bit late.  Visit this awesome Hummingbird tracker (you can even participate with your own sightings) to see when they are arriving in our area. Just make sure you don’t forget the other birds and load up your feeders.

We also recommend that you clean out your birdbaths and refresh the water. Remember that stagnant water is a great source for mosquitoes, so make sure you keep it refreshed. Our technicians will always dump (if they can lift it) and treat any birdbaths when they come, but keeping an eye on that water is best for the birds and for you.

One of our favorite places to visit for plants, gardening inspiration and some great classes is The Arbor Gate. They have some great vegetable planting calendars, an inspirational blog, and even an app you can download that lets you calculate mulch needs, comes with a plant database and is chock full of how-to videos.

Whatever you are planting and planning this spring, we wish you a green thumb and hope you enjoy your time outside without those pesky mosquitoes ruining it!

There is a lot of misinformation out there about mosquitoes and the weather. We have folks who call us in August and ask to put their service on hold until the spring, thinking that mosquito season is over or at least that the populations diminish. Nine times out of ten those customers end up calling us back saying “I don’t know what I was thinking!” or “You stopped treating and they came back!”.

It is important to us that our customers make their own decisions about when they want us to service their yard, so we will never pressure someone to continue service if they don’t believe they need it. We don’t have contracts, never tie folks into services and make sure our customers know that they are the boss.

Having said that, this is a great time of year to take a look at what is actually going on down here in the deep south. Unlike the northern and eastern states, things work a little differently in south Texas.

When Mosquitoes Winter in South Texas

Typically, mosquito hibernation starts once we experience three deep freezes in a row or temperatures fall consistently under 50 degrees. As you might have guessed, this rarely happens around these parts. What you might not know, however, is that mosquitoes in the Houston area are thought to have developed an adaptation to our mild winters. Scientists have noted that these local mosquitoes have adapted a hibernation pattern where they awaken on warm days and “sleep” on the few-and-far-between cold ones. Even at temperatures of 50 degrees, female mosquitoes are active and seeking out warm bodies from which to obtain a drink of blood.

Culiseta Inornata and Anopheles Freeborni are two of the species that live in our area and actually become MORE active during the cooler months.  If you have lived in Texas long enough you will remember being bitten on Christmas Day.

Tips and Tricks to Prevent Mosquitoes

So what can you do to help control that population in your yard? Firstly, if you are a customer remember that the longer we treat your yard, the more we prevent eggs from being laid around your home. Mosquito eggs are pretty resilient and can actually sit dormant for ten years before a drop of water can cause them to hatch. Come spring and the wet days of February, you will start seeing the effects of all that egg laying. Of course, it will also take us three services to break that life cycle in the spring. Customers who are treated year-round never have to worry and are able to maintain a yard rid of mosquitoes no matter what time of year it is.

What can you do if you are not a customer? We always tell folks to think like a mosquito. That sounds ridiculous, but I’m sure the majority of you have childproofed your hom e at some point in time. The number one advice to new parents on how to effectively do that is to get on your hands and knees and see your home from a toddlers perspective. Now we are not suggesting you crawl around your yard like a mosquito, but if you think like one you can act accordingly.

Mosquitoes need water to hatch the next generation of youngsters. The easiest way for them to populate is to lay eggs in stagnant water. Your number one focus should be making sure that there is no standing water in your yard. Remember, just a capful of water is enough for 300 eggs. So don’t keep your focus just on the large puddles or kiddie pools.  Look at kids’ toys and plant pot saucers, soda cans, open garbage containers and blocked gutters. Even cap-less fence posts make a great home for mosquito eggs.

If a female mosquito cannot locate any standing water, she will lay her eggs on moist ground. These are the areas where eggs are most likely to hatch after a rain. Pine needles, debris piles and leaf piles are the most likely areas to be attractive as they keep the ground dark and moist. When the leaves start falling and you get out to clean your yard make sure you get rid of this debris rather than piling it behind the shed.

Finally, remember that the introduction of new mulch also brings the introduction of new mosquito eggs so don’t be surprised if you see more mosquitoes after you finish your winter landscaping.

We are always here to help and treat year-round (with good reason) so don’t hesitate to give us a call at 281-815-0228 if you have any questions!

Mosquito Joe Breaks Down Mosquito Control Options

As the mosquito population grows and the diseases they carry hit the headlines, many folks are looking for an affordable and effective way to control mosquitoes in their yard. Misting systems have gained popularity over the past several years, but how do they stack up to the newer barrier treatment technology (sometimes known as “mosquito spraying”)? The crew at Mosquito Joe of NW Houston & S Brazos Valley has created a quick sheet to shed some light on the differences of the mosquito eliminating technologies.

What is the Difference?

1. A mosquito misting system is installed in specific areas of the yard that are used frequently by homeowners. At predetermined times, the misting system releases product into the air to kill mosquitoes and prevent them from breeding. The mosquito misting system runs periodically, from a tank, in much the same way a sprinkler system does. The products have a shelf life and need to be stored, replenished, and/or replaced periodically. The hoses require upkeep and the nozzles can often block and require replacement.
2. Mosquito fogging uses heated products that eliminate any adult mosquito in its path when released.  It does not remain in the air, nor affect the area treated after fogging is complete. It is intended to be a short-term method of eliminating active adult mosquitoes.
3. A barrier treatment, on the other hand, is applied by a certified structural pest control technician and is completely customized to the yard. The homeowner never needs to have bulk products stored on site.  The treatment is effective for 21 days and is designed to break the life cycle of mosquitoes in the property by removing adult mosquitoes and developing larvae.

Effective Treatment Area

A mosquito misting system treats the immediate area (10’ around each nozzle typically) and can often be affected by wind, drifting the chemical to an area outside the desired treatment area. Fogging will eliminate adults in its path only briefly. Barrier treatments typically treat the entire yard, allowing full use of the property.

How Long Do They Work?

Misting system sprays are generally effective for a couple of hours after each spray.  Most systems are programmed to spray several times a day.  Fogging lasts only for the duration of the treatment.  Barrier treatments last up to 21 days with the most effective products. Barrier treatments include management of the water on the property, directly affecting the source of the population.

What Do They Eliminate?

Misting systems are useful for eliminating active adult mosquitoes within immediate range of the nozzles. This means that mosquitoes out of range will not be affected. Mosquito larvae are not impacted by this system. They also kill many other insects in the area, which can include butterflies, bees, and other pollinators important to the environment.

The barrier system also eliminates active adults, but additionally prevents future adults from emerging. The service is usually combined with larva control treatment so both the adults and larvae are destroyed. The technicians are trained to avoid flowering plants and bodies of water that may contain fish. Other natural products are generally used in these areas to repel mosquitoes towards areas where they can be killed without impacting the pollinators and beneficial insects.

How much does it cost?

Mosquito misting systems have a significant up-front cost that involves equipment and installation by a certified individual. Once installed, maintenance of hoses and nozzles will be required as well as chemical fills as the product is used up.

Home foggers start at about $200.  Because fogging is not a long-term solution to the problem, most homeowners who try this route expend a lot of time and energy before giving up.

Mosquito control barrier treatments are provided as a service and require no maintenance or involvement from the homeowner.  In most cases, the homeowner doesn’t even need to be home. A payment is charged after each treatment or even on a yearly basis. Homeowners are encouraged to keep their yard free of stagnant water, but the technicians will remove what they can at each service.

Safety and Environment

There are some concerns with mosquito misting systems:

• Misting systems are automatic and can spray while people and pets are outside. Barrier treatments require that humans and pets be out of the area during treatment and 30 minutes afterward to allow the products to dry.  Once dry, the yard can be used as normal.
• Automatic misting occurs no matter the wind speed, wind direction and weather – often causing a waste of products. Barrier treatments are controlled by the certified technician applying it and never happen in the rain or when the wind is excessive.
• For a typical area, a misting system may use up to 165 gallons of mixed product per year. For the same property, barrier treatments use approximately 34 gallons FOR THE ENTIRE YARD during that same year.
• Misting systems are not a part of an Integrated Pest Management System. They simply spray, killing adult mosquitoes for a short period of time. Barrier treatments combine product placement, standing water control and treatment, environmental protection, eliminating the adult mosquitoes, and ridding and prevention of larval mosquitoes.  This all occurs only in the presence of a state tested and certified technician.

Which should I use?

The EPA has cautioned against misting systems as the components are not classified as ‘application equipment’. They also are generally not as effective as other systems, like barriers, and can be hazardous to the environment. Fogging is ineffective and short-lived. Mosquito barrier treatments are proven to work more effectively at eliminating and preventing mosquitoes. The environmental impact can be much less due to the decreased overall amount of product being used, and they also cost less up front and require no maintenance.

How Can Mosquito Joe Help?

The good news is, Mosquito Joe of NW Houston & South Bravos Valley offers many outdoor pest control options to keep those pesky insects at bay. Effective mosquito control barrier treatments, special event sprays, all-natural barrier treatments, commercial treatments and more. We would love to talk to you further about any questions you have about mosquito barrier sprays, misting systems or fogging treatments so please give us a call at 281-815-0228 or send over an email to nwhoustonbrazos@mosquitojoe.com