Mosquito Control Awareness Week in North America is one of our favourite weeks of the season. With our Canadian summer now in full swing, it's important to learn about controlling mosquito populations around your property, as well as the diseases that mosquitoes can spread if not monitored properly.
We all want to avoid mosquito bites in our own backyards, but how many of us actually take the proper precautions when push comes to shove? Apart from just blasting your skin with a repellent when you’re spending time outside, there’s a lot of simple things you can do to avoid getting bitten by mosquitoes this season. Preparation is key, if you will.
There are literally thousands of different species of mosquitoes. They're here, they're there - they're everywhere. While the biggest culprits feed on our blood and spread horrible diseases, some of them prefer feeding on other animals, and some rarer varieties don't feed on blood at all.
Here we break down the most common genus of mosquitoes.
Although it has been widely suggested that Canada will not see local transmission of the Zika virus (due to the lack of Aedes mosquito species), four potentially Zika-carrying mosquitoes have been found in a mosquito trap in Windsor, Ontario last month.
Even though our furry friends may have a full coat of hair to cover them, they're still at risk of mosquito bites, particularly around the ears and nose. Mosquitoes aren't overly fussy when they're looking for a blood meal, and pets find themselves in a range of situations, just like us. From an irritating yet harmless itch, to a serious, harmful health concern, you just never know what might happen when it comes to mosquito bites.
This month, Florida has begun to see an alarming number of homegrown cases of Zika; that is, non-travel related cases, which were the biggest worry some months ago. So far, Florida is the only US state to have local transmission of the virus.
As of August 24, there are now 43 local cases of Zika infection, with outbreaks occuring in Miami and Miami Beach. The number of travel-related cases in Florida is 523, and 70 of whom are pregnant.
With Florida's warm, humid climate, it's the ideal location for Aedes mosquitoes to thrive and spread the virus. But with so many locally transmitted cases appearing in such a short time, the Department of Health in Florida are understandably worried.
The American Mosquito Control Association (AMCA) have just released their latest fact sheet, this time covering the Zika Virus.
Primarily transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito, West Nile Virus is an arthropod-borne virus that typically shows few or no symptoms in humans, but in rare cases, can be fatal.
Anyone that spends time outdoors is at risk of West Nile, however the risk varies from year to year depending on the amount of rain, how hot it gets, and the current population of mosquitoes. Mosquito populations reach their peak in the summer months, so right now is the time to be protecting yourself against mosquitoes.
With the virus looming closer and closer to North America, it's becoming increasingly more important to remain educated on Zika, to understand the risks and to avoid mosquito bites. As mosquito control experts based in Canada, we're dedicated to providing information and resources in an effort to combat mosquito-borne illnesses, including Zika.
