With
warmer weather comes the dreaded ticks and mosquitoes. Each year we learn of
more and more diseases these little pest are transmitting too! I’ve
personally had a family member from Rainsville, Alabama hospitalized with Rocky
Mountain Spotted Fever so bad that they called the family in to say our
good-byes. Luckily, she pulled through and is healthy now but had she been a
young child or elderly we may not have been so lucky. So for this weeks email I
thought I’d cover some ways to keep these pest away while enjoying the
outdoors.
P.S. Chickens are awesome for ticks in your yard 😉
Around your yard:
Mosquitoes: According to the CDC, the most important
thing you can do to keep mosquitoes out of your yard is to eliminate their
preferred breeding grounds. Keep your gutters clean, and your birdbaths, old
tires, wheelbarrows, and swimming pool covers free of standing water. Clear
away ivy and decaying leaves, too.
Ticks: They like tall grass and lots of shade. So
keep your lawn mowed, remove leaves and other debris, and try to let as much
sun into your yard as possible. Consider putting up a fence around your
property to keep out deer and other large animals that can carry ticks. And
don’t forget to check your pets for ticks after they have been romping outside.
Plant
lemon grass
While
no mosquito control in the immediate area can say for sure that lemon grass is
a tried and true way to deter mosquitos, many people use lemon grass as a
natural repellent. Planting lemon grass along walkways, or in large planters
than can moved around as needed, has seemed to do the trick for residents as
the strong fragrance is rumored to keep the bugs away.
Find
the breeze (or a fan)
Mosquitos
are weak fliers and studies have shown that breezes and winds make it difficult
for the pests to land. Having a fan blowing in the area or setting up camp in a
breezy spot is enough to lessen the opportunity for the bugs to bite.
Your Clothes:
Ticks: When walking through wooded or grassy areas in the summer, wear the same clothes that ward off mosquitoes. Light-colored clothes are best, because that makes it easier to spot ticks. Tuck your shirt into your pants and your pants into your socks. Inspect your skin when you go indoors, and use tweezers to gently remove any attached ticks. (Remove the whole body, including the head.) For extra protection, toss your clothes into a clothes dryer on high heat to kill ticks that might be attached.
Tick checks
The
CDC has a recommendation to prevents ticks from finding a way into your
home -- perform tick checks on people and pets. After spending time outdoors,
whether it be hiking, camping, gardening or just taking the dog for a walk,
tick checks can prevent ticks from finding a way into the home. Be sure to give
pets a thorough sweep and take a shower after coming in doors. Some places the
CDC recommends double checking are under the arms, in and around the ears,
inside belly button and around the waist
Thank you,
Wenona Mertens
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