Skeeters Suck, Take Back Your Yard!

Spring has sprung and the bugs have just begun! I know it’s pretty corny but it ‘s true. After the non-existent winter that we had this year in South Central Texas and the more than average rainfall (not complaining), 2016 is promising to be a busy year in the pest control business.

There’s a lot of talk about Zika virus being transmitted by mosquitoes, despite the fact that not one case in the U.S. at the time of this writing has been confirmed by mosquito transmission, but rather by human contact with infected individuals. The phones are starting to ring with inquiries about the solutions that pest control companies have to offer to alleviate fears and lessen the risk from these bothersome pests.

The first thing your can do to lower the problem in your backyard is to survey your property for standing water and over-watering of landscapes. Anything that can collect water is capable of providing a habitat for mosquito larvae to survive and mature into the adults that cause all the problems. Remember a single bottle cap holds enough rain water to support dozens of larvae to maturity.

Running water in ponds and fountains is usually not a problem, but the standing water in bird baths and other ‘yard art’ along with the catch pans under potted plants and clogged rain gutters serve as prime breeding sites. So be diligent and look for anything that can collect water around your home. Going out after a storm and looking for standing water is a great way to discover what you need to change.

Now that you have done all this, you still have to deal with the pesky little devils, because no matter what you do somewhere, somehow, they are a ever present problem for some areas. Some metropolitan entities are providing night-time fogging treatments to help with vector control and public health benefits. Also in known standing water areas, larvacides are being deployed to help eliminate the larvae before reaching maturity. Unfortunately, in rural areas this is usually not the case, with too much area to cover.

So now that the weather is getting nice and we are wanting to enjoy our backyards with all the amenities that make it enjoyable and as soon as the sun starts to set out come the blood suckers! What are you going to do? Pass out the repellents to all your guests with the toxicity they contain? How about light the tiki torches with citronella oil or light the mosquito coils to repel them and deal with the smell and smoke they produce? And I love this one, put 5 gallon buckets with dry ice in them at the back fence to draw them away from the gathering.

As you can see all of these do nothing to prevent the problem from occurring in the first place. They only act by repelling or diverting an already present nuisance and possible threat. It has been shown time after time that the only tried and true way of keeping mosquitoes at bay is to consistently apply a pesticide at pre determined times on a regular basis during the swarming season. Here in San Antonio, Bulverde, Spring Branch and the surrounding areas that usually means March though November with some years December.

I know you are thinking: regular spraying of pesticides on a consistent basis, that’s crazy! No I am saying, using safe, proven and regulated products in minute amounts applied in precise locations and times least likely to coincide with the presence of people, pets, or food. There are even totally botanical chemical options available. This is accomplished with the installation of a fully automatic mosquito misting system tailored to your needs and landscapes. All units come with a remote control for on demand use. With the ability to monitor and have full control over your system via your smart phone or computer with internet connection anywhere in the world.

Hitman Pest Control has been a authorized mosquito system installer and servicing these systems for over 11 years. These systems have been around for some time and have evolved into quite effective tools to combat mosquitoes and other pests that have plagued us for an eternity. They have come a long way from the re-purposed analog water sprinkler timers and cooling misting nozzles that were utilized in the early versions that had minimal success.

• Consistent mist concentrations every time: In the past, the diluted insecticide separates in the tank and consequently produces a varying concentration from mist cycle to mist cycle. And, in a hot stagnant drum, bacteria growth can compromise the insecticide and clog the filter. Every mosquito spray system and backyard insect control system installed by Hitman Pest Control has the ability to agitate the contents to ensure a consistent blend of active ingredients in every mosquito mist.
• Leak Detection: Early on, systems would continue to operate when lines were cut either by lawn maintenance personal or animal damage or other leaks and empty the drum before it was
  noticed. Now the systems detect the leak and shut down and if equipped, send you and us a notice via the iMistAway app that something is wrong saving the spilled chemical.
• Optional wind sensors: The controller is programmed to check the wind speed before each scheduled mosquito mist cycle. It will check the wind every minute for five minutes, and if the wind is above a predetermined speed, the unit will go into hibernation until the next regularly scheduled cycle.
• Multiple Zones: A single mosquito misting unit can power a practical maximum of around 60-70 nozzles. Placed every 12 feet, that translates into around 800 feet of protected perimeter. While that is sufficient for most homes, there are properties that demand many more mosquito misting nozzles. A zone kit effectively doubles the number of nozzles that a single unit can drive. Without it, a large installation would require multiple units.

These are just a few of the qualities and upgrades that the systems installed and maintained by Hitman Pest Control have to offer. Contact us to have one of our trained professionals give you a free estimate.