M-O-S-Q-U-I-T-O Readiness!!!!
Next weekend we celebrate the 4th of July! Are you ready?
There are many things that make the Fourth of July a holiday we anxiously look forward to: warm weather, barbecues, pool parties, and fireworks. What do all of these have in common? They’re all enjoyed outdoors! That is my kind of holiday. But, sometimes the great outdoors can bring unwanted guests to your events, and this year I want to be sure you have all your bases covered whether you’re throwing a low key get together, or a full blown party.
You probably have all the essentials on your Fourth of July to-do list: red, white, and blue decorations, stocking up on sparklers, and of course, figuring out what to feed your guests. But there is one thing you want to add to the very top of that list – toxin “free” mosquito repellant, how to prepare your yard, plus a relief plan for those unwanted bites should they occur. Mosquitoes feed mainly at dawn and dusk, and dusk is the perfect time to be outside manning the grill or enjoying a festive cool beverage.
Before sharing my most successful strategies on mosquito know-how, I hope you learned some interesting facts about “Breaking sugar addiction” in our newsletter last week. If you missed it, you can use this link, here.
So for today, let’s see what kind of buzz we can stir up for mosquito control …..
My favorite personal Mosquito tips:
First of all, follow these (4) easy mosquito deterrents if you can:
Cover up!
When you’re outdoors in mosquito territory, wear long pants, long sleeves, socks, and shoes (not sandals). Loose-fitting garments may be better than snug spandex.
Outfit cribs, carriers, and strollers with mosquito nets.
Consider timing. Mosquitoes are most active—and most likely to bite — during sunrise and sunset. If possible, avoid being out at those times.
Use an insect repellant. There are many conflicting reports about the safety of DEET, the most common active ingredient found in many insect repellants. In some people, DEET can cause adverse skin reactions, seizures and brain dysfunction, fatigue, shortness of breath, and possibly even cancer. So my professional opinion is, “Why take the chance in using a known toxin, when there are other non-toxic alternatives?”.
That being said, my favorite family Bug repellant is Dr. Mercola Bug Spray. It is specially formulated to repel mosquitoes, fleas, chiggers, ticks, and other biting insects. This Bug Spray is completely chemical-free, safe for the environment, and effective, great smelling, 100% natural formula, and is totally safe for children and pets! DEET free, in an easy spray mister. I buy it on Amazon, here.
If you run out or forgot to buy Mercola Bug Spray ahead of time, the next best bug spray carried in many drugstores is Repel, a plant-based insect repellent that offers six hours of protection against insects as well as a refreshing lemon scent. The bug spray’s main ingredient is oil of lemon eucalyptus. Not only will it keep away pests that carry Zika and West Nile, but it can also be used on children over two months old, so the whole family can enjoy mosquito protection. DEET-free, the Repel spray is known to be highly efficient at keeping away bugs without a sticky residue being left behind on your skin. If you don’t have time to order natural bug spray, this one can typically be found in stores. Here is a link on what the bottle looks like.
Let’s talk Front Line Strategy:
Although there’s no way to permanently eliminate mosquitoes, there are short-term solutions. Try these simple ways to reduce mosquitoes in your backyard, both for the short term and long term. They include pruning, treating ponds, eliminating puddles and others. The steps are safe and fast, and most cost just a few bucks. They’ll also help reduce the mosquito population throughout the summer.
Tip 1 - Prune hedges and mow the yard to reduce shade
Hedges, bushes and tall grass provide shade that shelters mosquitoes. They need a place to get out of the heat and sun during the day, so the fewer shaded areas they find, the less they’ll congregate in your yard.
Keep the hedges and bushes trimmed, and mow the yard at least once a week. Mow or till weedy spots to minimize shade and to keep these marginal areas from becoming overgrown jungles. Encourage your neighbors to do the same. Otherwise, you’ll just drive the mosquitoes next door—and they’ll come back often to visit.
Tip 2 - Eliminate standing water
It’s no surprise that mosquitoes are attracted to water, but it is surprising how little water it takes for mosquitoes to breed and multiply. Mosquitoes can lay eggs in just a thimbleful of water, which means that anything that holds even a tiny bit of water can be home to mosquito larvae.
Find and empty these water sources. Dispose of or drain water from old tires, buckets, unused kids’ pools, bases of flowerpots, furniture, toys, boats and trailers left outside. Keep the gutters clean so water can’t accumulate. Fill tree and stump holes with mortar. Slope ditches so they drain, and fill swampy areas with soil.
Tip 3 - Run fans at ground level during the party
Mosquitoes are particularly attracted to body odors and the carbon dioxide we exhale when breathing. They allow mosquitoes to home in on us — and that’s when the biting starts. Dissipating these telltale human signs makes us harder to find. So, right before the guests arrive for your party, set fans on the ground and turn them on to break up the scent patterns. This simple solution is surprisingly effective for spur-of-the-moment events, when you can’t use the measures listed above.
Because of their light weight, mosquitoes are weak flyers. The breeze from the fans makes it difficult for them to fly, keeping them out of your party zone.
Tip 4 - Replace your light bulbs
Replace outside bulbs with yellow “bug” bulbs, which attract fewer mosquitoes than traditional lights. Find them at home centers ($2.50 for two 60-watt bulbs).
Tip 5 - Treat pools of water
Sometimes it’s nearly impossible to get rid of standing water. And sometimes, like when you have a small pond, you just don’t want to.
Pour a tiny amount of Agnique MMF mosquito larvicide in the water so that a thin layer covers the surface. It’ll suffocate the larvae (and any other insects in the water) without harming fish. (Buy it online at myadapco.com.) Or put Mosquito Dunk into the water. These doughnut-shaped briquettes produce a toxic bacterial spore that kills mosquito larvae, but won’t harm fish or animals. One briquette lasts for 30 days. Large bodies of water may require more briquettes. The Mosquito Dunk doesn’t repel mosquitoes; it prevents breeding. Find it at home centers in six-pack quantities. It’s also available at lowes.com and other sites.
Tip 6 - Stock water gardens with fish and chlorinate swimming pools
When water is part of your landscaping or used for recreation, you don’t want to drain it. But that doesn’t mean you have to surrender it to mosquitoes. Buy a few goldfish or minnows from a pet store or bait store and add them to your water garden. They may only live for one season, but they’ll eat mosquito larvae.
Chlorinate water that remains standing for a long period, like water in swimming pools, saunas and hot tubs. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for the safe use of chlorine. Keep pools covered when not in use. For small fountains, birdbaths and wading pools that you don’t want to chlorinate, simply change the water once a week to dispose of mosquito larvae. Sweep surfaces with a brush to knock off eggs before refilling the container.
Mosquito Myth Busting:
Contrary to popular opinion, these often-tried remedies won’t ward off mosquitoes:
Citronella candles are no more effective than other candles at keeping mosquitoes away. Candle smoke in general may have a limited effect. Likewise, planting Citrosa geraniums won’t repel mosquitoes.
Outdoor foggers and misting systems will temporarily reduce mosquito numbers, but they rise again as soon as the system turns off and the spray dissipates.
Spraying garlic will make your yard smell like an Italian dinner but does little else.
Bug zappers attract and kill thousands of insects, but most of them aren’t mosquitoes. They kill only a small number of mosquitoes in the area. (Ironically, they zap a lot of insects that prey on mosquitoes.)
Placing propane gas traps in your yard will effectively capture many mosquitoes, but again, only a small fraction of those in your yard.
Ultrasonic devices have no repellency value at all, according to studies.
Building bat towers and purple martin houses to attract potential mosquito predators has been proven useless. Bats and purple martins rarely feed on mosquitoes.
You did everything right, but STILL got some bites! Now what?
While bites can be itchy and irritating, the good news is that they usually go away on their own in 2 or 3 days. In the meantime, there are a few methods you can try to reduce irritation and itchiness so your mosquito bite goes away faster.
Tip 1 - Try not to scratch
Scratching can cause a mosquito bite to get infected. An infected mosquito bite takes a lot longer to go away, so do your best to avoid scratching your bites. They're pretty itchy so it can be tough, but I’m going to share tons of tricks to help you deal with that! Distracting yourself with other activities can also help get your mind off the itchiness.
If your child has mosquito bites that they can’t stop scratching, cut their nails short so they can’t scratch it as easily.
Tip 2 - Wash the bite with soap and water
Try to do this as soon as you notice the bite. Use cool water to reduce the swelling and itching. If you have a lot of mosquito bites all over your body, take a cool shower and wash the area with body wash or a mild soap.
Tip 3 - Hold an ice pack over the bite
Icing the mosquito bite soothes itchiness and swelling. Grab an ice pack or a bag of ice cubes in a kitchen towel and place it over the affected area for 10-20 minutes. This helps with the itchy feeling and also reduces the swelling a bit so the bite doesn't look so irritated.
If you don’t have any ice handy, use a cool washcloth instead.
You can do this a couple times a day any time your mosquito bite gets swollen or itchy.
Tip 4 - Apply calamine lotion to the bite
You can also use a hydrocortisone (anti-itch) cream. Just dab a small amount of either product directly over the bite to soothe the inflamed skin. It's safe to do this 3-4 times a day until your symptoms go away.
Buy these products at your local drugstore. Be sure to read the label and follow the instructions on the back!
Tip 5 - Cover the bite with a baking soda paste or honey
Baking soda and honey can both help relieve irritation and itchiness. To make a baking soda paste, mix 3 teaspoons (15 mL) of baking soda with 1 teaspoon (4.9 mL) of water. Apply the paste to your bite, wait 10 minutes, and then wash it off with cool water. Do this a few times a day until your bite goes away.
This is a great alternative if you can’t find calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream.
Tip 6 - Rub aloe vera over the area
Aloe vera soothes and moisturizes inflamed skin. Pick up an aloe vera gel from your local drugstore and gently rub it over your mosquito bite. Leave it on your skin until it soaks in to reduce redness and irritation.
It's not super common, but aloe vera can cause skin irritation in some people. If your skin gets red or rashy after you apply the gel, rinse it off with cool water right away.
Tip 7 - Use witch hazel or lavender to reduce redness
Witch hazel and lavender essential oil have anti-itch and anti-inflammatory properties. Squirt a small amount of the liquid on a cotton round or swab and gently pat it over the bite. You can buy witch hazel extract and lavender oil at most drugstores.
Studies on the effectiveness of witch hazel have shown mixed results. It certainly won't hurt to try it, though! It's a natural and gentle astringent.
Tip 8 - Try an Epsom salt soak
Epsom salts can help soothe and relieve pain and itchiness. Fill a bathtub with cold or room temperature water and add Epsom salts as directed on the package. Soak in the bath for 30 minutes to an hour, keeping the affected area submerged the entire time.
Studies on the effectiveness of using Epsom salt for insect bites aren't clear. However, there’s no harm in trying it out to see if it works for you.
Tip 9 - See a doctor if the bite gets infected
Infected bites need to be treated by a doctor. If you think your bite might be infected, it’s time to come into our office. Generally, mosquito bites that stick around for longer than 4 or 5 days need medical attention. Other warning signs of an infection include:
Redness that streaks beyond the initial bite
Swollen lymph nodes
Chills
Pus
Bite feels warm to the touch
Fever
The Bottom Line
So, as you can see it’s really quite simple….. By paying attention to some of common sense tips, you and the family should be able to enjoy outside activities this holiday season!
Consider timing when you are outdoors. Mosquitoes are most active - and most likely to bite - during sunrise and sunset. If possible, avoid being out at those times.
Use repellents. There are several types of mosquito repellents available on the market. My favorites are Mercola Bug Spray and Repel that use oil of lemon eucalyptus as their active ingredient; both do not contain toxic DEET!
Wear proper clothing. Cover up! With Long sleeves and loose clothing.
Get rid of standing water. Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water, so getting rid of any buckets, puddles, or untreated pools will help cut down on mosquitoes in your area.
Use fans and Install or fix your window screens. Mesh screens allow air to come in but keep bugs out AND use fans to circulate the air!
Clean up potential breeding areas. If you want protection against mosquitoes, you can keep mosquito populations down by maintaining your yard and eliminating standing water.
Follow my mosquito bite methods to reduce irritation and itchiness so your mosquito bite goes away faster. DO NOT SCRATCH and SEE A DOCTOR if your bite(s) don’t go away after 3-5 days.
I hope today’s newsletter will help you enjoy the Great Outdoors even more this summer!
And, don’t forget the (5) Essentials we talk about at Ferguson Life Health Centers…
Mindset
Nerve Supply
Nurtrition
Exercise
MINIMIZING TOXINS
There are NO LIMITS of what you can create, you are POWERFUL and there is nothing that you can not have or achieve! Believe in your power, believe in yourself and let go of what no longer serves you! ♡ design your life, create your reality…
This is life changing!
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