Search Results for: blog mosquitoes and your home fight the bite

Preventing West Nile Virus

Every day we are faced with the challenge of protecting our homes and families from pests. Every year I battle ants, spiders and bees. Right now, it is prime mosquito season here in Utah. We are luckier than most places because it’s such a dry climate but that doesn’t mean we are immune. Mosquitoes can carry West Nile Virus so it’s important to protect your family. In most cases the infection is mild, but one in five people develop severe symptoms. Most of us take the usual precautions. Bug spray, citronella candles outside, wearing long sleeved shirts and long pants … Continue reading →

Herbal Insect Repellent

One of my best friends called yesterday and was freaking out a bit. Her two year old son had a tick. I hate ticks. If you read my blog about spiders, know that ticks only fall slightly under spiders because I see fewer of them. She talked about getting an herbal insect repellent for her children and I thought that would make an excellent green living blog. I had actually already bought a herbal insect repellent at Target to send to my husband overseas. If you love Burt’s Bees products, they have an herbal insect repellent that includes oils such … Continue reading →

The Endangered Osprey’s Struggle in New Jersey

The osprey is a large bird of prey, also known as a raptor. In the 1800s and earlier, osprey populations in New Jersey were abundant. These birds could be found along the coast and near bodies of fresh water — where fish populations were available for feeding. This bird of prey has a huge wingspan — between four and a half and six feet wide. When the osprey glides, it pulls the wings into its body. If you see an osprey from the ground, the wings and body may look like the letter M. The underside of the osprey is … Continue reading →

Kids and Summer Health Dangers

I am choosing to ignore what the calendar says… Despite the fact that in bold, black, block letters the words, “FIRST DAY OF SUMMER” appear on June 21, we have been experiencing summer-like temperatures in the low 90s for the past 10 days. Amazingly, the blistering heat has not kept the bugs away. I think they are desperately trying to get in our home to escape the heat outside. Meanwhile, my daughter has been making a beeline for the front door—she wants out of the house and into the pool. Don’t get me wrong; I love the warmer summer months … Continue reading →

“Buzz Off”–A New Way to Ward Off Bugs

It’s the hottest trend in outdoor gear. No, not the “Throw-and-Go” Pup Tent or gourmet MRE’s (Meals Ready To Eat). I’m talking about bug-repellent clothes… and you don’t have to be an avid hiker, fly-fisherman, or bird watcher to appreciate them. We all know that mosquitoes can turn a lovely evening stroll into a running disaster… or, a summer barbeque into a bug buffet. To avoid this from happening many of us douse our children (and ourselves) with insect repellent. But, could the familiar spray soon be a thing of the past? A company that specializes in outdoor apparel seems … Continue reading →

The “Mosquito Magnet”–and Other Weapons of Mosquito Destruction

I live in a state that has recently experienced record breaking rainfall which was followed by a heat wave the likes of which the area hasn’t seen in decades. The rain and the heat create the ideal conditions for breeding mosquitoes. In a previous blog, I covered some simple ways you can safeguard your home from these blood sucking pests. This blog covers some mosquito control methods that folks in our neighborhood have experimented with in the wake of a warning made by our local health department. Apparently, by their estimates, millions of mosquito eggs will hatch in the next … Continue reading →