Pest Control
Beat the Flying-Pest Blues
 
by Woodrow Aames (aka. Gabby Hyman)
 
It's hard to compete with buzzing flies and mosquitoes when you're having a fancy outdoor party or casual outdoor barbecue. Not only do flying insects ruin the experience with their incessant buzzing and zooming in your face, some deliver nasty bites that spread disease and infections. While many a homeowner won't think twice about bringing in an exterminator to remove wasps, bees, hornets and rats, they don't consider their services when it comes to flies and mosquitoes.
 
There are some things you should do on your own to prevent black clouds of pesky insects. Discourage flies by emptying your garbage frequently and use insect-proof lids on the containers. A liner can help trap inviting smells inside your trash cans. Flies also gravitate to your pet's droppings, so round them up and dispose of them regularly. This will also keep you from having to bring in exterminators to get rid of rats.
 
Exterminators and Mosquitoes
You should also do your part to discourage mosquitoes by emptying water from any cans, barrels, or containers in your yard. Drain unnecessary ponds or standing water. Bug zappers and screens can protect porches, but do little for entertaining in open spaces. While a citronella candle is not objectionable to everyone, some people cannot tolerate the odor.
 
You still may have to call in an exterminator to handle runaway populations of flies and mosquitoes. Some 150 types of mosquitoes that carry the potentially deadly West Nile Virus have invaded the continental United States. Exterminators can suggest measures for you to take and they can apply outdoor sprays that kill flies and insects and prevent colonies. Professionals can also distribute bait and traps in tamper-resistant containers.
 
Ask your exterminator about devices that expel carbon dioxide, a gas that attracts mosquitoes to feed on humans. The traps work on batteries. If you have a pond, exterminators recommend that you stock it with frogs or guppies who love to gobble up mosquito eggs.
 
If you need to call in an exterminator for termite or hornet removal, it's a strategic time to ask about flies and mosquitoes.
 
About the Author:
Woodrow Aames has written articles and profiles for Yahoo, Microsoft Network, Microsoft Encarta, and other websites and print magazines around the world. He holds an MFA degree and has taught English abroad.
 
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