Ticks & Mosquitoes
Learn Why We Do What We Do.
Picture this: Spring and Summer have finally arrived. And while people relish in the warm weather and sights and smells of the seasons, they also must contend with the pests of the season. Bugs sure can be an annoyance as they buzz around our backyard activities. Then, there are other common summer pests that can be much more than a nuisance – those like ticks and mosquitoes that can transmit disease. At Backyard Bug Busters, we believe an educated customer is our best customer, so we are dedicated to providing resources, tips and articles to educate and help you protect your family.
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The Tick
Ticks live all over the world, but they are most common in areas with plenty of vegetation. They cannot jump or fly, so they rely on the vegetation to find their hosts. To do this, they climb to the edges of tall grass or branches and wait for a person or animal to pass by, then grab on. They do best in shady, moist places, such as wooded areas. Ticks tend to be most active in warmer weather, ranging from late spring to early fall in most areas.
Tick-Borne Illnesses & Diseases
In addition to Lyme disease, ticks also carry Ehrlichiosis, Anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and others. There's simply no way for homeowners to tell if a tick is carrying disease or not, and it only takes one tick bite to infect your or a pet. Also, some ticks are known to carry more than one of these diseases, which can lead to multiple infections, or coinfection. What's common among all vector-borne disease, however, is that symptoms can be vague and difficult to recognize.
The Mosquito
The mosquito has quite an awful reputation. It has been called the biggest killer on the planet and the most deadly animal in the world. With just one bite it can spread devastating illnesses like West Nile Virus, Encephalitis, Malaria, Chikungunya and even Heartworm in pets. There are more mosquitoes on this planet than humans. There are around 3,000 mosquito species in the world. Between 150 and 200 of those can be found in North America. A mosquito can develop from egg to adult in as little as 4 days, but it hardly ever wanders far from the "nest." Since it only travels between 1 and 1.5 miles per hour, it rarely goes beyond a 1 mile radius from its birth place (YOUR HOME!) during its short life cycle.
Mosquito-Borne Illnesses & Diseases
A mosquito's bite can trigger much more than an itchy red bump. Mosquitoes cause more human suffering than any other organism -- over one million people worldwide die from mosquito-borne diseases every year. Not only can mosquitoes carry diseases that afflict humans, as with the latest Zika Virus outbreak, they also transmit several diseases and parasites that dogs and horses are very susceptible to. These include heartworm, West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis. In addition, mosquito bites can cause severe skin irritation through an allergic reaction to the mosquito's saliva - this is what causes the red bump and itching. Mosquito vectored diseases include protozoan diseases, i.e., Malaria, filarial diseases such as dog Heartworm, and viruses such as Dengue Fever, Encephalitis and Yellow Fever.
