ae —4. i Prevent Mosquitoes Now To Protect Yourself Later (NAPSA)—Flowers aren’t the only things blooming when the weather warms. The beauty of the season also brings a nuisance for anyone who likes to be outside— mosquitoes. These pesky insects, which can be found nearly everywhere, begin breeding now to cause problems all summer. Fortunately, a few control measures now can reduce the number of mosquitoes in your yard all season. Take the following steps to lower mosquito populations and protect yourself and your family: Eliminate breeding sites. Remove objects that may collect rain water where mosquitoes breed. Commonlocations include clogged roof gutters, birdbaths, wading pools, plant pots, swimming pool covers, old tires and toys. (Mosquitoes need only a thimble-full of water to breed.) Replace outdoor light bulbs with yellow bulbs or sodium vapor bulbs that are less attractive to mosquitoes. * Install or repair window and door screens to keep mosquitoes out. Make sure that your window and door screens are “bug tight” (18 x 18 strands per square inch) with no holes. According to Paul Bello, entomologist and technical director for Orkin, Inc., once mosquito season hits, you should take additional precautions. “When possible, wear longsleeved shirts and pants when outdoors and apply insect repellent that contains a high percentage of DEET,” says Bello. “Mosquitoes are annoying pests, but you can help steer clear of them by avoiding being outdoors at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.” Make sure your window and door screens are “bug tight.” It is important to protect your- self from mosquitoes—for more reasons than just their itchy bites. Mosquitoes can be dangerous and can spread diseases such as West Nile virus, which can cause very serious symptoms. A blood-borneillness, West Nile virus is transmitted by mosquitoes to a variety of hosts, including birds, horses, cats, dogs, bats, rab- bits and humans. Most cases of West Nile in humans show up in late summeror early fall, but can appear year-round in warmer parts of the country. To combat mosquitoes, Orkin has launched a new, three-pronged mosquito treatment service in more than 80 cities to help reduce mosquito activity in residential and commercial settings. The three steps include educating customersto identify potential breeding sites around their home or business, targeting mosquito larvae located in permanent standing water and treating areas where adult mosquitoes mayhide. To learn more, visit www.orkin.com. For more informa- tion about West Nile virus, ask your doctoror visit www.cdc.gov.
