There are not many pests I despise more than mosquitoes.

Mowing your yard, enjoying a bonfire fire, relaxing on your porch in the evening, and backyard barbecue’s are just a few of the things we all love doing in the warmer months.

Mosquitoes have a unique way of sucking the joy out of those enjoyable activities. Literally.

In addition to their extreme pesky behavior, mosquitoes are known to carry potentially harmful diseases that are transferable to humans and pets.

There are multiple mosquito species in Missouri, but the Culex Mosquito is most popular in Southeast Missouri.

Many have seen news headlines of Zika virus scares in different parts of the country, however West Nile virus is what currently plaques Missouri the most. St. Louis County, Jefferson County and many others had multiple cases of West Nile virus confirmed in 2018 by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and county health officials. It’s spread by mosquitoes to people.

How do you prevent exposure to mosquitoes for humans?

For humans the CDC recommends use of an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellent. But it should include one of the following active ingredients: DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), Para-menthane-diol (PMD) or 2-undecanone. Long-sleeved shirts and long pants can also provide some protection. When indoors, use air conditioning instead of outside air. And if you can’t, a mosquito bed net can also help.

One key to reducing your risk factor for mosquito-borne viruses is to proactively implement a mosquito treatment program for your yard at home or business.

We have developed a program that emits a product around your home and yard which utilizes a special machine to treat mosquito nesting sites. This product eliminates mosquitoes and guarantees 80 to 90% control.

You can have the peace of mind you deserve and enjoy your yard this year knowing your family and pets have a shield of protection against mosquitoes.

~Aaron Eades is the owner of Elite Pest Control.