We all know about the devastating earthquake and after shocks that occurred in Haiti. JP McHale is proud to donate cases of Mosquito dunks to the relief effort. Mosquitoes can carry West Nile Virus and Malaria. These dunks will be placed in any stagnant water (where mosquitoes love to breed) and will assist in the prevention of mosquitoes. The last thing that any residents of Haiti, or any relief workers need is West Nile Virus or Malaria while they are helping to rebuild the country.
If you would like to donate to the relief afford please visit the Red Cross’ website.
Scientists at Vanderbilt and Yale University have been working a proposed “Mosquito Nose Transplant.” What they do is take the nose of a mosquito, which is the center of their antennae which is filled with nerve cells and “odor receptors” that react to different compounds and transplant them to either frog eggs or fruit flies. The scientist have done a great job, successfully transplanting most of the nose. The key to this whole operation, however, is that these mosquitoes carry malaria, the deadly disease that affects 500 million people. They transplant these cells and put them into frog eggs or fruit flies. By doing this, they are trying to combat this disease that is crippling and killing millions of people.
The two strategies have produced similar results, but are different in the set up. The process of transplanting the odor receptors to the frog eggs complex. DNA is injected into the eggs, while the odor receptors are put on the outside of the egg. The process with the frog eggs is rapid, very sensitive and you get a precise measurement. The fruit fly takes up to 3 months to engineer with the odor receptors in their antennae. However, despite the length, there are advantages to the fruit fly process. You can study compounds that don’t dissolve in water as well as detecting chemicals in the receptors rather than exciting them. The result of these studies have been encouraging. There are some compounds that will attract the mosquitoes more than humans do and also compounds that will repel the mosquitos. These developments are encouraging in the prevention of the spreading of malaria, a disease that kills millions.
In Morris County, New Jersey they have taken these facts and have put together a project that would help prevent above normal mosquito population. For the past ten years the county has put together a task force that has workers going into the wooded areas of the county and collecting old vehicle tires that have been dumped. Morris County states that they have recovered just about 52,000 tires since the program started 8 years ago. The state Department of Environmental Protection states that not only does it reduce the amount of mosquitoes that can populate different areas, it is also a huge environmentally friendly project. With every tire that is picked up it helps the environment as well as creating a credible recycling source of rubber. The rubber recovered is chopped up and recycled into things such as playgrounds, rubber footing rings for horseback riding, as well as landscaping. As a prevention project, Morris County officials say that the cleaning up of dumped tires will help prevent an “inborn” West Nile virus. Officials state that with the junk tires becoming few in numbers it means that they are getting rid of any lingering mosquitoes that can carry the West Nile virus, stating that most cases of the virus have been totally transient.
Mosquito populations can be prevented by a good percentage with the right prevention steps and tactics. Our Vector Intervention Program targets Mosquitoes, Rodents and Ticks. Please contact us if you are interested in a free inspection.
A dead bird tested positive for West Nile Virus today in Hall Count, Nebraska. This is the first case of West Nile the county has seen. Spraying has been conducted to cut down mosquito populations in the area.
West Nile originates in birds, then, mosquitoes feed on these dead animals, transmitting the virus to the mosquito. Then when a mosquito feeds of a human, they can transmit the virus.
The amount of West Nile Virus cases in California have decreased from previous years. There have been five cases of the virus this summer so far. Experts claim that dead birds in the area make up for the origin of the West Nile. It’s imperative that community resident report dead birds and animals to the city or town so disposal can be done quickly.
We have reported a lot in the past about mosquitoes, how to prevent them and what the side effects are. Foreclosed homes are a perfect breeding area for mosquitoes because of standing water in pools that are left untreated. Wear bug spray, long pants, eliminate standing water and look into organic control measures to assist in creating a West Nile-free environment.
The front page of the Wall Street Journal today featured an article written by Gwendolyn Bounds about using natural pesticides to control pest activity around your home.
The use of natural products to control pests is not new. Garlic based sprays have been used for many years to control outdoor pests such as mosquitoes. The author of this, reported on the products she used to control pests on her property. Garden pests can cause a lot of damage to your plants, therefore controlling them is imperative.
Many companies that manufacture over the counter pest control products are trying to release new green products. There are a few problems with launching these new products, the most popular being consumer acceptance. Bounds’ makes a great point from the consumer’s view.
“…consumers say we want (natural products) and what we really want (dead bugs, now!).”
Another interesting side was that the side effects of pesticide to not even come close to the effects of Lyme disease and West Nile like virus.
“…pests can transmit illnesses such as West Nile virus and Lyme disease that can be more harmful than some potential side effects from pesticides. S.C. Johnson & Son Inc., for instance, launched a Raid “Earth Options” product in 2006, then discontinued it the next year due to low consumer acceptance.”
Spectrum Brands Inc. said that they released a mosquito repellent without DEET, and it did not sell well.
“Over the years, the EPA has banned some insecticides considered too risky from use in the home market, such as diazinon and chlorpyrifos. It also now maintains a list of active ingredients used in what it dubs “minimum risk” pesticides. “It’s a pretty good bet it’s a safe product if it’s on that list,” says John Kepner with Beyond Pesticides, a not-for-profit group based in Washington, D.C.”
In conjunction with all natural products, it should be known that some pests, such as ladybugs, can be used to control harmful pests such as aphids in your garden.
The author mentions in the article that she could not find an all-natural method to control carpenter ants.
JP McHale is constantly exploring new environmentally friendly products, also taking into account the effectiveness of them. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates pesticide products, and the way they are applied. Please contact us so we can create a custom home pest prevention program to protect your family and home from pests.
The original Wall Street Journal article can be read here.
The location, Ferry Point Park. Mosquitoes were collected, and tested positive for West Nile Virus. This is the first report that the tri-state area has seen since last year. No humans are known to have the virus yet.
·Use an approved insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus (not for children under 3), or products that contain the active ingredient IR3535.
·Make sure windows have screens, and repair or replace screens that have tears or holes to keep mosquitoes out of your home.
·Eliminate any standing water from your property as they are breeding sites for mosquitoes, and dispose of containers that can collect water. Standing water is a violation of the New York City Health Code and can be reported by calling 311.
·Make sure roof gutters are clean and draining properly.
·Clean and chlorinate swimming pools, outdoor saunas and hot tubs. Keep them empty and covered when not in use, and drain water that collects in pool covers.
-NYC Health Department
Take caution for the rest of the summer. The last thing you want is to become infected and become ill during the exciting summer months.
If you wish to have preventative measures taken, JP McHale Pest Management offers a Vector Intervention Program that targets mosquitoes, ticks and rodents. You can call us at (800) 479-2284 for more information.
We all know about the devastating earthquake and after shocks that occurred in Haiti. JP McHale is proud to donate cases of Mosquito dunks to the relief effort. Mosquitoes can carry West Nile Virus and Malaria. These dunks will be placed in any stagnant water (where mosquitoes love to breed) and will assist in the prevention of mosquitoes. The last thing that any residents of Haiti, or any relief workers need is West Nile Virus or Malaria while they are helping to rebuild the country.
A dead bird tested positive for West Nile Virus today in Hall Count, Nebraska. This is the first case of West Nile the county has seen. Spraying has been conducted to cut down mosquito populations in the area.
The amount of 
The front page of the Wall Street Journal today featured an article written by Gwendolyn Bounds about using natural pesticides to control pest activity around your home.
Remember back in June when we talked about 