…Except this spring’s showers are downpours, which means there’s going to be an abundance of mosquitoes this summer (in addition to an abundance of ticks!).
Not only will there be a ton of mosquitoes, but all the flooding means that they may pop up in unexpected places. Usually, you can expect mosquitoes (who use water to hatch their eggs, a process which can take 24-48 hours depending on species) to appear around lakes, fountains, ponds, and other still water. In your backyard, this could even mean a small puddle where the ground is uneven, left-out wheelbarrow, dog dish, etc.
Removing spots that hold still water (or freshening/changing the water daily-twice daily) is usually enough to fight back against mosquitoes. This year, with all the rain, you’ll have to really think about where in your yard it might have changed to a mosquito-haven (for instance, in our area window-wells are pretty soggy right now).
Why bother fighting off mosquitoes? Because thanks to mosquito-borne illnesses, mosquitoes are the animal that is most likely to kill you—above sharks, dogs, and rogue zoo animals. And, especially in America, it’s not just dying to consider—there’s a long list of mosquito transmitted diseases that can cause severe illness and pain (like yellow fever and CHIK-V) which are spreading further north and west each year.
And of course, there’s West Nile Virus, which makes headlines each year. West Nile takes weeks before symptoms appear and people get diagnosed—so this year, there will likely be cases well into fall!
And it’s not just humans who are susceptible. Mosquito borne illnesses can infect dogs (add heartworm to the list!) horses, and other animals. That’s why keeping them off your property is step one!
Besides removing water, you can light citronella candles to naturally discourage the pests.
Then, step two is making sure you’re immune system is strong. Some people are tasty mosquito bait, even taking steps to avoid them (certain blood types draw mosquitoes, as does body heat, etc.). And even if you aren’t in a region with lots of tropical mosquito diseases, those itchy red bumps are an immune system reaction. Not good if you’ve already got a weakened immune system!
Healthy eating, exercise, and sleeping enough are all basic steps to support your immune system—but you can take it up a notch by adding Colloidal Silver to your daily supplement regime. Just make sure you’re getting the best—always look for the Colloids for Life logo!
Have you had to fight back against the mosquito surge this year?
