Recently Christie Carter told how someone had wondered why Noah didn’t swat the two mosquitoes as they boarded his ark. After all, would anyone miss the little bloodsuckers? They make a Great White Shark seem downright friendly. Perhaps instead of The Discovery Channel’s producing “Shark Week,” it should try “Skeeter Week.”
But seriously, this disease-carrying “little fly” has once again made headlines with its spreading the Zika virus, as well as West Nile. Luckily, the reported Zika cases reported in North Texas have resulted from people traveling to other countries.
But with the recent rains and heat providing a nirvana for skeeters to flourish, it’s time to take precautions. Here are some suggestions on how to reduce the chances of mosquitoes creating havoc:
- Get rid of standing water — Take you kids around your yard and play the game of spotting stagnant water. It could be anything from a birdbath, an abandoned flower pot, a blocked drain or a dog bowl.
- Screens — Make sure that the screens on your doors and windows are not torn. That slit of an opening makes your home an open house for the critters.
- DEET — As much as you love your perfume, the scent of the season is DEET.
- Outdoor entertaining — If you’re having folks over for a backyard picnic or just chilling in the heat, consider outdoor mosquito prevention like foggers before the guests arrive. Also, electric fans will not only create a pleasant breeze, they also keep the air stirred up and skeeters don’t care for turbulence.
- Swimming pools — Maintain yours and report abandoned ones to the Dallas County Health Department.
- Garden pools — If you have a water garden, add a mosquitofish (Gambusia) to it.
- Clothes — You’re really gonna hate this one, but long-sleeved shirts and long pants are like armor against the flying-disease carriers. On the other hand, they hate light colored clothing.
- Times of day — Instead of those lovely walks at dawn and dusk around the neighborhood, head to an enclosed shopping center. Skeeters’ fav time of day is just as the sun is rising and setting. Hey, they may be small, but they’re not dumb. They don’t like the brutal heat of the day.
- Outdoor lighting — While they’re not repellents, the yellow bug lights attract fewer mosquitoes than traditional white lights.
- Baby protection — Provide baby carriers and beds with netting.
- Area sprayings schedules — Check when your neighborhood is going to have the trucks spraying and keep the kids and pets indoors at that time.
Too bad Noah didn’t take some precautions. Perhaps those two skeeters would have missed the boat.