So far Washington State has been relatively “lucky” compared to most other parts of the nation that have already had years with hundreds of human cases of West Nile Virus. Unfortunately, this could be our year, as last year saw an upswing in human cases, with one death. This could be the sign of an upward trend in cases, but scientists aren’t sure. See this Seattle Times article from June 30, 2010:
Salt marsh mosquitoes, named for the coastal areas where they breed, travel in swarms and are vicious biters but generally do not carry human diseases. Their eggs, laid on dry land, must be moistened by marine water to hatch.
Terry Whitworth, owner of Whitworth Pest Solutions, is quoted in this AP story:
Mosquitoes are bugging Grays Harbor folks
To this day, mosquitoes are still a major issue in this neck of the woods, affecting Grays Harbor County and Pacific County residents every year.
Whitworth Pest Solutions owner Terry Whitworth is quoted in this Seattle Post-Intelligencer article on effects of El Nino on mosquitoes and other insects and arthropods:
ITCHIN’ FOR SUMMER? WELL, THE PEST IS YET TO COME, BUG EXPERTS SAY
Whitworth Pest Solutions owner Terry Whitworth quoted in Backpacker Magazine:
Whitworth tech checking for mosquito larvae in a pond
Mosquito season is bearing down on us, and the threat of occurences of West Nile Virus in Washington State is very real. See the Washington State Dept. of Health page for more info at: http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/ts/zoo/wnv/wnv.html. There are common sense things that we all can do around our properties to make our home or business less inviting for mosquitoes:
- Eliminate water-trapping containers like old tires and cans.
- Empty bird baths weekly; empty pet water dishes or wading pools weekly.
- Clean debris from rain gutters regularly to prevent standing water.
- Dump water off of tarps over boats, garden areas, pool or Jacuzzi covers.
- Drain or fill tree holes, mud puddles, and re-grade landscape to prevent standing water.
- If you have ornamental ponds, stock them with insect eating fish, like goldfish.
- Do not over-water your lawn so that puddles accumulate.
- Do not use insect electrocuters (bug zappers) to kill mosquitoes. They kill many more beneficial insects than mosquitoes and often draw more insects to your house than ever before.
- Do not apply any pesticides to water. A state Department of Agriculture license and Department of Ecology Permit are required to treat water.
Whitworth Pest Solutions is licensed to perform mosquito control and has the necessary Department of Agriculture and Ecology licenses and permits. If you want help controlling mosquitoes, call us. We can inspect your property for breeding sites and treat if needed.
