Sorry, Mosquito...
Spring is coming...the flowers! The warmer, longer days! And last but not least...the mosquitoes.
This year, more than ever, we are all aware of mosquitoes and the havoc they can create for our health. We all remember the nuisance of the red welts during our childhood and the horrible itch that calamine lotion never seemed to cure, but never before did we consider the detrimental health effects because as far as we knew - inconvenient itching was the worst part.
Did you know...
Did you know that mosquitoes are a danger to you
and
your pets? In humans we are at risk for dengue fever, malaria, and most recently the Zika virus. Pets and horses can contract equine encephalomyelitis (EEE), heartworm disease and West Nile virus. Some of these diseases are zoonotic, which means a disease that exists in animals but it can be transferred to humans that encounter the same mosquito and are subsequently bitten. Those most at risk are pregnant women, the elderly, children and those with compromised immune systems.
Knowledge is Power
What can we do to protect ourselves and our pets? Vectorborne diseases are carried between animals and people via infected mosquitoes, so our best bet is to eliminate the source - mosquitoes. We can destroy their habitat and make our homes, yards and landscapes incompatible with mosquito breeding areas. Some helpful tips and ideas to keep you and your pets safe:
Remove Standing Water:
Mosquito breeding grounds require calm, still waters. Eliminate sources of standing water that can accumulate even just an inch of water and reduce all opportunities for mosquitoes to create a new habitat. When thinking about our landscape environment, ponds that have no movement in them can attract these pests. Consider adding a water feature like a fountain or a bubbler to create movement, oxygenate the water and disturb and destroy the mosquito nursery.
Treat the Water: There are naturally-occurring bacteria that are excellent larvicides. Bti is a natural spore that acts as a digestible poison for mosquito larvae. We can treat your pond with Bti and stop the larvae before they get a foothold. The larval stage is the easiest to treat and the most effective route to keeping control before swarms become a problem. If they don't make it out of the water, they won't reach adulthood.
Introduce an Enemy: The enemy of slow-moving, stagnation-loving prey is a fast-moving, hungry little predator! Welcome some mosquitofish into your pond and let them eat, eat, eat. Let Dragonfly Pond Works show you how hungry fish can help your pond stay clean, healthy and pest-free.
When considering landscape plants to accompany your maintained pond, we can suggest potted lemongrass, citronella, basil and mints in landscaped areas (homes, offices, business parks) where people and their pets may frequent. These beautiful plants will add a wonderful scent while naturally repelling mosquitoes.
Beautiful ponds signify a safe, healthy environment. Let's do what we can to keep ourselves, our loved ones and our pets safe and enjoy our time spent outside!
For more information on vectorborne illnesses, please go to:
For further reading about mosquito management, please go to:
About Dragonfly Pond Management
Dragonfly Pond Works helps clients discover their sanctuary. We are an environmental services company that customizes water beautification solutions, creating natural pond, lake, and wetland refuges for residents, property owners, and community members to enjoy. Our practices work in harmony with nature, but also within your budget.
As experienced specialists in pond and lake management, our designs transform retention ponds, sand filters, stormwater basins, underground detention facilities, and other types of aquatic systems into healthy and integrated waterscapes.
From Maryland to Florida, Dragonfly Pond Works serves clients throughout the mid-Atlantic region, including corporate, commercial, and public accounts, residential customers, and homeowner associations. We strive to develop long-term relationships based on quality work, timely service, cost efficiency, and of course, trust.