Ticks and Mosquitoes: What All the Buzz is About

During the spring and summer months, ticks and mosquitoes are most active and will be present until the cooler fall temps return in October. The insects are drawn to cool, wet areas to pupate and reproduce, and are hosts and/or vectors to numerous diseases that affect humans and dogs. It’s important to be aware of the negative health effects upon infection from these insects. Here’s what you should know:

Mosquitoes host numerous diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever, encephalitis, West Nile, and the Zika virus. Their bites are the only way dogs can contract heartworm. They breed in any form of stagnant water such as ponds, marshes, floodwaters, storm drains, old tires, and water in tree holes. They can even breed in a soda cap full of water. Mosquito eggs will survive for as many as seven years before hatching and a single mosquito can be responsible for one billion descendants within a month. Unfortunately, mosquito infections are responsible for over one thousand deaths in America every year.

Ticks are a vector of Lyme disease. Symptoms of Lyme include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic of a bull’s eye-shaped skin rash. If left untreated, Lyme disease can also affect the joints, heart, and nervous system. The disease is a primary concern in the US currently, especially related to the warm weather the Northeast region experienced this past winter. Tick bites are virtually painless and victims often don’t recognize they have been infected until after symptoms appear.

Good news! Green Image Lawn Care offers a highly effective invisible shield that can protect HOA and residential customers from the negative effects of ticks and mosquitoes. Don’t hesitate to contact us for a free consultation for your property!