Mosquito Control

“Mosquitoes are too often just seen as a minor nuisance and ignored. If you follow these guidelines then you can get rid of them once and for all!”

Are you after a mosquito control treatment? Hiring a professional pest control company can make a huge difference for home and property owners, business and commercial property owners as well as strata companies or local council buildings to tackle a growing mosquito infestation.

For properties that are located near a body of water mosquitoes can grow to become a serious problem. Restaurant owners will know that customer satisfaction and the environment you serve your customers in is of the utmost importance, and being eaten alive by bloodthirsty mosquitoes definitely isn’t going to promote customer satisfaction.

Though mosquitoes are often seen as just a nuisance they can actually harbour a lot of very damaging diseases such as Ross River virus, Dengue fever, Malaria, Australian encephalitis and the Barmah Forest virus. With regards to Malaria, most cases have been due to a contraction of the virus outside of Australia and Dengue is not a big issue in NSW however, Ross River and Barmah Forest Viruses are two which should cause concern.

Recent research and statistics released by the NSW Department of Health has shown that the number of reported cases of the Barmah Virus rose by up to 100% between April 2010 and April 2011. The symptoms of a viral infection dissipate over a period of a few weeks however, in some cases people who contracted the virus suffered from join pain as well as fatigue for months after the infection.

Similarly the Ross River virus causes severe discomfort and has symptoms similar to that of an extreme case of the flu. The NSW Department of Health statistics show that in the year of 2010 only there were a staggering number of 1065 cases reported! Though the virus is not lethal there are no distinct treatments for it and as such only general medication can be prescribed to provide relief from the symptoms.

Mosquito Control and Prevention:

There are a few things you can do to make sure you don’t get bitten or end up with a mosquito infestation at your home or property.

•Always apply a repellent such as Aeroguard

•Do not allow for water to sit long anywhere on your premises, stagnant water attracts mosquitoes as this is their ideal environment for breeding. Problem areas include the bases of pot plants and similar buckets or pots left out in the yard as well as any gutters that grow extremely blocked and allow for pooling of water.

•Making use of a mosquito coil or similar deterrent in outdoor areas can make a big difference.

•Keep emptying and refilling the water in pet bowls, do so at least every other day.

•If your fish pond has no fish in it consider adding some as they will consume the mosquito eggs and larvae.

•Have a look at acquiring and installing some fly screens.

•Take a look at purchasing a JakMax or Black Hole Mosquito traps (works for other flying insects as well) at a discounted price! Link to our Mosquito Traps.

In cases where residents or property owners live or are located near a river or lake the treatment becomes much more difficult and nearly impossible. If this is the case make sure you contact a professional pest control agency or contact your local council as they sometimes contract pest controllers to manage a mosquito infestation.

Of course, if you live close to a river, lake or an area where there is plenty of dampness and shade, controlling mosquitoes isn’t so easy and it may be necessary to speak to a pest controller about other methods of mosquito control. In some areas councils bring in pest controllers to treat these areas, particularly when there is concern of a virus outbreak.

Defence against mosquito bites

Mosquitos spread pathogens that make thousands of Australians sick each summer, but it’s their incessant biting that really spoils our time outdoors. For most families, the use of tropical insect repellents is the standby strategy to reduce mosquito bites and mosquito borne disease.

Authorities routinely recommend the use of repellents to prevent bites and public health risks. However, whilst a list of recommended active ingredients in repellents are promoted, there generally isn’t a lot of guidance on how to effectively use these formulations.

We can’t kill all the mosquitoes

Mosquito control, whether it is in the local wetlands or around your backyard, won’t be effective in killing off all mosquitoes. There are many effective strategies available to reduce the abundance of mosquitoes around the home, from the use of ecologically sustainable larvicides or insect growth regulators by local authorities in nearby wetlands, or the use of residual insecticides around the backyard or home. These approaches will certainly help. Unfortunately, some regions in Australia don’t have effective broad scale mosquito control programs and the excessive use of insecticides around the home may have impacts on beneficial arthropods.

Choosing and using insect repellents

Advice provided by health authorities on personal protection measures is general in nature. The key components include the use of insect repellents/insecticides (topical repellents or mosquito coils): Behavioral practices (avoiding areas during times of the day when mosquitoes are most active) and physical barriers (bed nets, wearing long sleeved shirts). This advice is pretty consistent across Australia.

Sounds too good to be true? It probably is…

Applying insect repellent can be a hassle, especially when you’re looking forward to spending time outdoors. For this reason, plenty of gimmicks have been proposed that will stop mosquito bites without needing to reach for the spray, cream or lotion. Colourful wrist bands and patches are sold as alternatives to topical repellents. Unfortunately, there is no evidence these provide more than just a few centimeters of protection.

If you’d like to obtain a quote for professional mosquito control in or around the greater Sydney region, or to find out what treatments are available, call Bruce Gow on 0417 251 911, or contact us via email at bruce@a1pestcontrol.com.au