Are the mosquitoes bugging you, or is it just me?

With the excessive amounts of rain Toledo and Northwest Ohio has been receiving lately I guess it is no wonder that that mosquitoes have become real "Fertile Myrtles" this summer! I don't know about you, but at about dusk every day, I've been forced to retreat into my house because of the enormous amount of these pesky, blood suckers!

According to Lee Mitchell, a biologist for the Toledo Area Sanitation District, (TSAD) with the 4 inches of rain we experienced on July 2^nd, we have had about 7.5 more inches of rain than normal for our area. All this excess precipitation is perfect for breeding these little pests. Their gestation period is between 10 to 14 days so they are right on schedule to be around in heavy numbers for at least the next week or so.

Here is the link for the for today's foggings. Each morning the TSAD notifies local media outlets with the locations where they will be spraying.

To mitigate as many mosquitoes as possible, the TSAD website also suggests the following:

1. Dispose of open containers which can fill with water
2. Properly dispose of discarded tires.
3. Empty bird baths and fill with fresh water at least once a week.
4. Check and clean clogged roof gutters at least twice annually so they will drain properly.
5. Turn over plastic wading pools when not in use.
6. Turn over wheelbarrows.
7. Aerate ornamental pools or stock them with fish.
8. Use landscaping to eliminate standing water that collects on your property.
9. Children's toys and tarps covering cars, boat, and other equipment can also hold water.
10. Cover trash containers to prevent rainwater accumulation.
11. Tarp boats and canoes or turn them over.
12. Keep ditches and streams adjoining your property free of grass clippings, garbage, and other debris, which will obstruct the natural flow of water.
13. Fill in tree-rot holes with cement.
14. Cover rain barrels with screening.
15. Tightly cover wells, septic tanks, cisterns, and cesspools.

REMEMBER: It only takes 4 days of standing stagnant water to breed mosquitoes.

HOW CAN YOU PREVENT BEING BITTEN BY MOSQUITOES?

These following actions will reduce your chances of being bitten by mosquitoes.

• Wear light-colored clothing, long-sleeved shirts or jackets, and long slacks.
• Use mosquito netting when sleeping outdoors or in an unscreened structure.
• Avoid mosquito-infested areas or stay indoors when mosquitoes are active.
• Avoid physical exertion
• Use colognes and perfumes sparingly.
• Use mosquito repellant. Some common brands are:
• Off
• Rutgers 6-12
• Cutter's and Cutter's Advanced
• Repel
• Deep Woods OFF!
• Muscol
• Ben's 100

Read and follow label directions especially with products using DEET. Read the ingredients list on the container.