Here is an annual reminder as the leaves change and fall, to use Deep Woods Off. Its best to be vigilant at this time of the year. Here is possibly the best explanation I heard at Delaware University, The bulk of female mosquito's are high up in the trees feeding on birds, they do not hide in short grass but dark bush out of the sun on hot days. When the leaves fall birds loose their cover, safety, and food and fly south. Mosquitoes are then looking for other sources of blood meal until the first frost. By the second frost a month later they cease to be a problem.
Ticks are becoming a year round problem when snow is not around. They are not present in short manicured lawns. They prefer tall grass and bushes near animal trails, again generally not in the sun, until they become full size, and then they don't seem to care about the heat. Their most common blood meal is mice and other small rodents, but Deer and Moose are on the dinner plate. I have seen first hand field mice and Voles, covered in ticks and fleas.
This was to get the discussion going. I am reminded as I went to southern Delaware this week to help paint a deck and the dinner bell rang right around 3:30 and I was getting attacked from the mosquitoes that were hiding in the bushes. But the bite I will remember was a large kissing bug on my back that remained unnoticed for ten minutes. That was Friday and this is Sunday and it remains very painful. Keep in mind these are all vectors that can make you very sick. The one that got me was the far right at approx 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches.
CLICK CLICKVDC
[IMG:https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/Pgeniculatus2.jpg][IMG:https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/70/Rp-nymphs-adult.JPG/1920px-Rp-nymphs-adult.JPG]
Ticks are becoming a year round problem when snow is not around. They are not present in short manicured lawns. They prefer tall grass and bushes near animal trails, again generally not in the sun, until they become full size, and then they don't seem to care about the heat. Their most common blood meal is mice and other small rodents, but Deer and Moose are on the dinner plate. I have seen first hand field mice and Voles, covered in ticks and fleas.
This was to get the discussion going. I am reminded as I went to southern Delaware this week to help paint a deck and the dinner bell rang right around 3:30 and I was getting attacked from the mosquitoes that were hiding in the bushes. But the bite I will remember was a large kissing bug on my back that remained unnoticed for ten minutes. That was Friday and this is Sunday and it remains very painful. Keep in mind these are all vectors that can make you very sick. The one that got me was the far right at approx 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches.
CLICK CLICKVDC
[IMG:https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/Pgeniculatus2.jpg][IMG:https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/70/Rp-nymphs-adult.JPG/1920px-Rp-nymphs-adult.JPG]
Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you!
The post was edited 1 time, last by Wise Old Owl: adding links ().