Top Ten Mosquito Prevention Tips

Hillsborough County is celebrating Mosquito Control Awareness Week this week, and as part of its efforts, wants to educate residents on how to prevent mosquitoes from breeding around their homes and feeding on them. Here are the County’s top ten mosquito prevention tips from the Mosquito and Aquatic Weed Control Unit:

1) Get rid of mosquito-breeding containers. Destroy or dispose of tin cans, old tires, buckets, unused plastic swimming pools or other containers that collect and hold water. Do not allow water to accumulate in the saucers of flowerpots, cemetery urns, pet dishes, birdbaths, boats/canoes or livestock troughs.

 2)  Prevent your swimming pool from becoming a breeding ground. If you aren’t using your swimming pool, put a cover over it. Make sure the cover doesn’t sag and hold pools of rainwater, which can also provide a breeding ground. Another option is to stock the pool with fish, which will eat the mosquito larvae and prevent them from hatching off. Gambusia, or mosquito fish, are available to residents from Mosquito Control staff by calling 554-5029.

 3)  If you have bromeliad plants in your yard, regularly rinse them out with a garden hose. Mosquito larvae need water to grow and evolve, and bromeliads are an excellent host. The average bromeliad can be expected to produce around a hundred mosquitoes per year. That may not seem like much, but if you have ten or twenty plants in your yard, that’s several thousand mosquitoes!

 4)  Protect your children from mosquitoes, especially at night. Hot, sweaty children playing outdoors at night are like a glowing beacon to mosquitoes. Protect your children from irritating bites and the possibility of mosquito-borne illnesses by ensuring they cover exposed skin, and wear an insect repellent containing DEET. Please read the label before using this product and avoid direct application to the face.

 5)  Keep your rain gutters cleaned out. Rain gutters can get clogged with leaves and debris, which impede the flow of water. Not only is that bad for your roof, it creates an ideal habitat for mosquito larvae, which need water to grow into adults.

 6)  Take special precautions at dusk. Dusk is a mosquito’s favorite time to fly and bite. A good onshore breeze will keep the mosquitoes at bay, but if you haven’t got one, a portable fan will do the trick. Mosquitoes aren’t strong fliers, and air currents moving past you will keep the mosquitoes moving too. Remember also to wear long sleeves and insect repellent containing DEET. Please read the label before using the product and avoid direct application to the face.

 7)  Take special precautions in high mosquito areas. Use head nets, long sleeves and long pants if you venture into areas with high mosquito populations, such as salt marshes.  Also use insect repellent containing DEET on any exposed skin. Please read the label before using the product and avoid direct application to the face

 8)  Be extra careful when a warning is in effect. If there is a mosquito-borne disease warning in effect, stay inside during dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are more active.

9)  Make sure window and door screens are “bug tight.” Check your screens periodically to make sure there are no holes and replace worn-out screens.

 10)  Watch out for puddles in your yard.  Irrigate lawns and gardens carefully to prevent  water from standing for several days.

If you have tried these tips and are still having a mosquito problem around your home, you can call the Public Works Customer Service number at 635-5400 to speak to staff and request service. A mosquito control inspector will come for an on-site inspections to give suggestions and may schedule treatment if it is found to be necessary as a result of  a visit.

 The Unit employs a modern approach to mosquito control, which includes mosquito and bird surveillance, mosquito source reduction, biological controls, mosquito larvicide control, barrier spraying, educational outreach, and when necessary as a last resort, adult mosquito spraying. As part of its surveillance program, the Unit operates 14 sentinel chicken sites and 77 mosquito surveillance traps placed around the County, and conducts more than 25,000 mosquito larvae inspections per year.  In 2008, the Unit also responded to more than 5,480 customer service requests, distributed larvicide over more than 14,000 acres, adulticided more than 230,000 acres, and treated more than 550 acres of aquatic floating vegetation that harbored mosquito larvae.

For more information on the Unit and their practices, notices on where they will be spraying, and how to prevent mosquitoes, visit their website at: www.hillsboroughcounty.org, click on the A-Z Index link, and then select “Mosquito and Aquatic Weed Control.”

Comments

[Lester]

i have listed some mosquito prevention tips here for reference, hope it does help.

Wear loose light colour long sleeved shirt, pants, socks and hat when you are outside at the evening or night.
Limit evening or night activity.
Apply mosquito repellent spray on arms, legs and face before going out at the evening or night. (recommended to use DEET free and natural mosquito repellent spray)
Prevent visiting mosquitoes active place such as fish pond, lake, forest and bush.
Close all windows and door before evening or night.
Spray living and sleeping areas with mosquito repellent spray at the evening or night. (recommended to use DEET free and natural mosquito repellent spray)
Use electric fan to blow away mosquitoes when you are indoor.
Well screen your house windows to prevent mosquitoes fly in.

[Lester]

I would like to share mosquito disease information here for those who do not know, feel free to read:

Type of Mosquito Disease

Mosquito- born disease is a disease transmitted by mosquito to human. Disease can be from animal or human. Every year, mosquito kills more than 1 million people worldwide and everyday there is people died of mosquito’s disease. Research stated that only few species of mosquitoes are able to transmit disease such as ‘Anopheles’ and ‘Aedes’ mosquito.

Malaria
- Caused by parasite carried from person to person by Anopheles mosquito.
- Anopheles mosquito is active during the night.
- Symptoms of Malaria are fever, headache, malaise, chills, muscle ache, joint pain, nausea and vomiting. Sweating also usually present. These symptoms can be appeared from 10- 15 days and it may continue up to a month or longer.
- There are 500 million cases with more than 1 million deaths reported every year by World Health Organization (WHO), most of the deaths are children and pregnant women.
- Country affected by Malaria is Africa, Asia, Latin America, Middle East and Europe whereby Africa is the most reported in Malaria disease.

Dengue Fever
- Caused by one of the four Dengue viruses and transmitted from infected person to another.
- Transmits by Aedes mosquito.
- Symptoms of Dengue are sudden high fever, severe headache, eyes pain, muscle and joint pain, nausea, vomiting and no appetite. Symptoms usually appear from 3- 14 days after infection bite. Dengue infection may progress up to Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever where the blood vessel starts to leak and causing bleeding from nose, mouth and gums. Without prompt treatment, the blood vessel can collapse, shock and death.
- Two fifth of the population are at risk and this disease is a leading cause of serious illness and death to children in some Asia countries.
- There are 50 million cases with 12,500 deaths reported every year by World Health Organization (WHO)
- Dengue Fever is common in most tropical and sub tropical countries such as Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America, Asia and Africa.

Yellow Fever
- Is a tropical disease caused by Yellow Fever virus.
- Transmits by Aedes mosquito.
- 2 types of Yellow Fever: Jungle Yellow Fever and Urban Yellow Fever.
- Jungle Yellow Fever is a disease caused by monkey. People get Jungle Yellow Fever when they get bitten by mosquitoes that infected by monkeys. Jungle Yellow Fever usually occurs for those working in the tropical rain forests. For Urban Yellow Fever is a disease from infected person to another.
- Aedes mosquito usually breeding in discarded tyres, oil drums, flower pots, or water containers.
- Symptoms of Yellow Fever are fever, muscle pain, loss appetite, nausea, headache, shiver and vomiting. Symptoms appear from 3- 6 days after infection bite. Usually patient will recover after few days but in some cases, fever reappear and causing jaundice and internal bleeding. 50% of the cases, patient died within 10- 14 days.
- There are 200,000 cases with 30,000 deaths reported every year by World Health Organization (WHO)
- Yellow Fever is found in Africa and South America.

Japanese Encephalitis
- Japanese Encephalitis is a viral disease transmitted by rice field breeding mosquitoes. This kind of mosquitoes belongs to ‘genius culex’ group. Rice field mosquitoes get infected after feeding on pigs and wild birds that infected with Japanese Encephalitis virus.
- Japanese Encephalitis causes serious inflammation of brain and may lead to permanent brain damage and high mortality rate.
- Symptoms of Japanese Encephalitis are fever, headache, neck stiffness, coma, stupor and high risk of causing permanent brain damage.
- There are 50,000 cases with 15,000 deaths reported every year by World Health Organization (WHO)
- Countries affected by Japanese Encephalitis disease are China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, India, Nepal and Malaysia.

West Nile Encephalitis
- West Nile Encephalitis is causing by West Nile virus where acquire from wild birds such as crows, blue jays, gray jays, magpies and ravens.
- West Nile Encephalitis usually transmits by ‘Culex Pipiens’ or ‘Culex Restuans’ mosquito and it occurs during warm whether when mosquito populations are active.
- Symptoms for West Nile Encephalitis are headache, fever, neck stiffness, body ache, muscle pain, skin rash and high risk of death. Symptoms usually appear from 2- 14 days after infection bite.
- West Nile Encephalitis is widely reported in Africa, Australia, Europe, West Asia and Middle East.

Chikungunya
- Main virus of Chikungunya is actually from monkey. Other wild animals or human also can be served as reservoirs of the virus.
- Chikungunya transmits to human by infected Aedes mosquito.
- Symptoms of Chikungunya are high fever, headache, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, muscle and joint pain. Symptoms usually appear from 3- 7 days after infection bite.
- Countries reported with Chikungunya disease are Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, India, Indonesia, Africa and some Europe countries. Chikungunya is expanding widely today especially in some Asia countries.

Please note that, currently all diseases above do not have specific treatment or vaccine to cure.

Article from:
http://bestmosquitorepellent.blogspot.com/2009/07/mosquito-life-cycle-and-mosquito.html

[Lester]

Here is the chinese description for mosquito disease:

蚊子疾病
蚊子疾病是可以由蚊子直接传播或由动物传播给人类。每年，有一百多万人死于蚊子疾病。研究指出，只有少数种类的蚊子比如按蚊和白纹伊蚊能传播疾病。

以下是不同种类的蚊子疾病
疟疾
-是由按蚊传播给人类。
-按蚊活跃在夜间。
-疟疾症状：发烧，头痛，疲倦，发冷，肌肉疼痛，关节疼痛，出汗，恶心和呕吐。这些症状可出现长十天至十五天，并可能持续到1个月或更长的时间。
-世界卫生组织（ WHO ）报告指出，全世界有五亿个案件和超过1万人死亡，大部分死者是儿童和孕妇。
-受疟疾影响的国家有非洲，亚洲，拉丁美洲，中东和欧洲，即非洲是受疟疾影响最严重的国家。

骨痛热症
-是受到其中一种骨痛热症病毒感染，这个病毒是由白纹伊蚊从一人身上传播到另一个人。
-骨痛热病状：突发高烧，严重头痛，眼痛，肌肉和关节疼痛，恶心，呕吐，没有食欲。症状通常现在三到十四天内。严重的话，骨痛热症可能进展到血管，鼻，口腔和牙龈出血。如不及时治疗，血管可以崩溃，休克和导致死亡。
-在一些亚洲国家，这病是一种严重的疾病导致很多儿童死亡。
-世界卫生组织（ WHO ）报告指出，每年全球有五千万个案件和十二万五百人死亡。
-骨痛热症常见于热带国家，如加勒比地区，墨西哥，中美洲和南美洲，亚洲和非洲。

黄热病
-是一个黄热病病毒引起的热带疾病。
-由白纹伊蚊传播。
-两种黄热病：丛林黄热病和城市黄热病。
-丛林黄热病是一种猴子造成的疾病。当蚊子叮咬感染的猴子后，蚊子是可以把这病症带给人们。丛林黄热病通常发生在那些在热带雨林工作的人士。城市黄热病是从感染者到另一个的一种疾病的。
-白纹伊蚊通常育种在废弃的轮胎，油桶，花盆，或装水的容器。
-黄热病症状：发烧，肌肉疼痛，丧失食欲，恶心，头痛，寒战和呕吐。被叮咬之后会再三到六天内出现症状。通常患者会在几天后恢复，但在某些情况下，会出现发烧，造成黄疸及内部出血。 五十％的情况下，病人会在十到十四天内死亡。
-世界卫生组织（ WHO ）报告指出，全球有20万黄热病例，每年有三万人死亡。
-黄热病最多出现于非洲和南美洲国家。

日本脑炎
-日本脑炎是由一种在稻田滋生的蚊子传染。这种蚊子属于'天才库蚊组。稻田蚊子叮咬那些受到日本脑炎病毒感染的猪，鸡，鸭或野生鸟类而传染。
-日本脑炎可造成严重的脑炎症，并可以导致永久性的脑损伤和高死亡。
-日本脑炎的症状：发烧，头痛，颈部僵硬，处于昏迷状态，昏迷，并可能导致永久性的脑损伤和死亡。
-世界卫生组织（ WHO ）报告指出，全球有五万个日本脑炎病例和万五人死亡。
-受影响的国家是中国，韩国，日本，台湾，泰国，越南，柬埔寨，缅甸，印度，尼泊尔和马来西亚。

西尼罗河脑炎
-西尼罗河脑炎是被受感染的野生鸟类，如蓝鸟，灰鸦，喜鹊和乌鸦传染。
-西尼罗河脑通常是由库蚊或库Restuans蚊子传染。
-这些蚊子在热天时最活跃。
-西尼罗河脑炎症状：头痛，发烧，颈部僵硬，身体酸痛，肌肉痛，皮疹和高死亡风险。症状通常会在被咬后第二天至十四天内出现。
-西尼罗河脑炎是广泛报道在非洲，澳洲，欧洲，西亚和中东地区。

基孔肯雅
-主要的基孔肯亚病毒实际上是从猴子传染的。其他野生动物或人类也可以作为病毒的传染。
-基孔肯亚病毒是由白纹伊蚊传播传染给人类。
-基孔肯亚病毒病状：高烧，头痛，疲劳，恶心，呕吐，肌肉和关节疼痛。症状通常出现由三到七天内。
-受影响的国家是马来西亚，新加坡，缅甸，越南，泰国，印度，印度尼西亚，非洲和一些欧洲国家。今日严重受影响的国家特别是一些亚洲国家。

请注意，目前，所有上述疾病并没有具体的待遇或疫苗治疗。

More information, feel free to visit:
http://1mosquitorepellent.blogspot.com/2009/08/blog-post_7500.html