What To Do About Mosquitos & Ticks Around Your Property

To protect your family from mosquitoes and ticks, call our team of exterminators in Cape Cod. Our exclusive mosquito and tick treatments in Cape Cod involve a fogging barrier — we spray target areas most vulnerable to mosquitoes and ticks. We’ll provide an initial consultation to inspect for conducive conditions. Then, we’ll check and treat your yard for ticks and mosquitoes. We’ll also schedule preventative maintenance appointments to ensure lifelong protection against bugs.

You can enjoy the beautiful summer weather while we handle the bugs. As part of our inspection and treatment process, we will:

• Pest-proof your yard: As exterminators, we know what attracts mosquitoes and ticks, as well as what keeps them away. During the backyard inspection, an exterminator will walk through your yard and give you advice about how to repel mosquitoes and ticks.
• Schedule preventative maintenance: We’ll continue to renew our pest control methods to ensure your yard gets the best care. You live in an area that will always be attractive to pests, so we need to make sure your home will be safe from every type of infestation. Between the spring and fall seasons, we visit your home for monthly mosquito and tick treatments. We also provide annual pest control services if you’d rather have an exterminator visit less frequently.

In the summer, you’d rather spend time grilling burgers than dealing with bugs. You can relax at the beach at Cape Cod or sit outside in your backyard. Let us handle the ticks and mosquitoes in your area.

Table of Contents:

• Reasons Why You Should Consider Mosquito and Tick Control
• How to Prevent Mosquito and Tick Bites
• Choose Cape Cod Pest Pros for Your Mosquito and Tick Control in Cape Cod

Reasons Why You Should Consider Mosquito and Tick Control

Our services focus on mosquito and tick treatment in Cape Cod. When you hire us, you can give yourself peace of mind, even during the fall and winter. We also answer any questions you have between your scheduled appointments.

Here are the top reasons you should consider mosquito and tick control:

1. To Protect Yourself and Your Family From Diseases

Dealing with the mosquitoes and ticks in your area can reduce your risk of contracting certain viruses. Mosquitoes and ticks carry diseases, called arboviruses, that can hurt humans — they are some of the top carriers of bloodborne diseases.

 

 

Most cases of arboviruses occur between the late spring and early fall. The threat of these diseases subsides after the first frost of the season. There is no evidence that these viruses transfer from person to person.

The most common tick and mosquito-borne diseases in Cape Cod are:

• West Nile virus: This is one of the most prevalent mosquito-borne diseases in the United States. About one in five people who are infected with the virus develop symptoms. Most people who contract the virus experience mild flu-like symptoms. The disease usually starts with a fever. Then, many suffer from headaches, rashes, body aches, diarrhea, joint pain or vomiting. These symptoms can last three to five days. Approximately one in 150 cases of the West Nile virus are fatal. Severe symptoms of the West Nile virus include paralysis and disorientation. West Nile virus in the brain causes encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain. People who contract encephalitis suffer from severe brain damage. If they survive, they may still have permanent damage. Patients who have pre-existing medical conditions or are older than 60 have a higher chance of developing severe symptoms.
• Zika virus: The Zika virus is another arbovirus contracted from the Aedes species of mosquito. These mosquitoes can bite humans both during the day and at night. Most other species of mosquitoes are only active during dawn and dusk. The Zika virus only results in mild flu-like symptoms in most people — these symptoms include a slight fever, rash, headache, conjunctivitis and joint pain. There are congenital disabilities in 10 percent of babies of women with a confirmed diagnosis of the Zika virus. Women who are pregnant or trying to conceive should avoid countries with the Zika virus. If you are traveling to a country that has mosquitoes, make sure you wear insect repellent.
• Eastern equestrian encephalitis (EEE): Eastern equine encephalitis is a virus transferred from mosquito bites. The threat of the disease is most common in warm, wet, coastal areas of the United States. The illness is rare, and not everyone who becomes infected with the virus will become sick. Even during high activity periods, like the spring and summer, doctors only see five to 10 cases of EEE each year. People are more at risk of developing severe symptoms of Triple E if they are younger than 15 or older than 50. People with weakened immune systems are also at risk. Humans who experience severe symptoms of EEE have a mortality rate of 30 to 50 percent. Survivors of these symptoms often suffer permanent neurological damage.
• Lyme disease: Deer ticks carry the most prevalent vector-borne illness in the United States. People who live in grassy or wooded areas are more likely to contract Lyme disease. Ticks are more present in areas with plenty of grass and trees. The symptoms of Lyme disease can vary depending on the person. In the early stages of the disease, people develop a small bump that looks like a mosquito bite. From three to 30 days after the bite occurs, a rash could develop that looks like a bullseye. Many people also develop a fever, chills, body aches and neck stiffness as a result of Lyme disease. The illness stays in the body for the rest of a person’s life. Over time, they can develop meningitis or other neurological damage.

2. To Protect Your Pets From Mosquitoes and Ticks

Over the summer, you have to protect your pets from mosquito and tick bites, as well. You want to enjoy the sunshine, and while you’re outside, you might let your dog or cat run out with you too. However, pets can’t protect themselves like humans can.

 

 

Your pets can carry mosquitoes and other insects in their fur. Besides humans, arboviruses can also affect amphibians, birds, reptiles and mammals. Dogs and cats have a long coat that could hide a pest that has nestled onto their skin.

To protect your pets from all bites, consider these tips:

• Treat your pets: Use a topical product to treat pets with evidence of ticks or mosquitoes on their skin. Also, be sure to use a mosquito repellent that works on pets. Mosquitoes can carry heartworm that could be deadly to domesticated animals. Consult your veterinarian about giving your pet a preventative medicine against heartworm. Put a tick collar on your pet to wear when it’s outside. Ask your veterinarian about tick medication to give to your pet.
• Watch your pets: When your pet plays outside, pay attention to where it goes. Avoid letting it run around in areas with dense woods or bodies of standing water.
• Inspect your pets: After a dog or cat has been outside, inspect its fur. If you detect any ticks on your pets, grab a pair of tweezers and pull them from the skin. Flush the tick down the toilet or wrap it in a tissue before throwing it in the garbage. Then, wash your hands with soap and water. You should also wash your pet to remove any bacteria from its skin.
• Treat your yard: Be sure to cut your grass low, so ticks can’t hide in your yard. Don’t forget to cut the grass around your fence and under any lawn furniture — ticks can hide in those hard-to-reach places. You can also spray the perimeter of your yard and any grass that’s kept long with a treatment to prevent ticks from entering.
• Don’t attract mosquitoes: Mosquitoes are more prevalent in your backyard than ticks. They nest around stagnant water and can multiply much faster than ticks can. You should remove any standing water from your lawn and watch where your pet plays.

3. To Enjoy The Outdoors to the Fullest

The weather is finally getting nice outside. You don’t want to think about mosquitoes or ticks while you’re planning your outdoor party.

Cape Cod Pest Pros provides a complimentary inspection to determine the best way to treat your yard. Our team of professional exterminators has improved its yard treatment methods over the years. We apply a mist treatment around the perimeter of your yard that permeates through bushes, leaf piles and dense vegetation to get control in tough-to-reach areas. We’ll treat your backyard for mosquitoes to get it ready for your next BBQ or pool party.

We’ll also treat the area around your lawn, like your deck or your patio. The treatment we use decreases the mosquito population in your yard. With fewer mosquitoes flying around, you’ll be able to focus on your outdoor parties.

4. To Prepare for Your Outdoor Events

When you host an outdoor event, you don’t want mosquitoes or ticks to put a damper on your special day. Before your special event, call a local exterminator to prevent bugs during your:

• Outdoor wedding
• Child’s birthday party
• Graduation party
• Bonfire
• Pool party
• Barbecue

We can treat for mosquitoes and ticks without bothering your guests. Plus, since we have green solutions for our pest control, you can trust that your guests will breathe clean air.

How to Prevent Mosquito and Tick Bites

Tick and mosquito control is the best way to combat insect-borne illnesses. Adult mosquitoes travel short distances and stay close to their breeding sites. Avoid the areas where mosquitoes and ticks breed and make their home.

Local exterminators can spray outbreak areas — they know where to spray so that you can be safe from mosquito and tick bites. Follow these tips for mosquito and tick treatments in Cape Cod:

How to Prevent Mosquito Bites

Since they fly, mosquitoes can travel inside and outside your home. Here are some ways to prevent mosquitoes in both an indoor and outdoor setting:

• Wear insect repellent: When outdoors, wear insect repellent on your skin and clothes. Make sure the repellent has DEET or essential oils such as lemon or eucalyptus. You can also burn citronella candles to ward off mosquitoes. Keep in mind that insect repellent on your skin is more effective than burning a candle. When using insect repellent, follow the instructions on the bottle for optimal protection. Limit the use of repellent by wearing long sleeves, socks and pants. Apply insect repellent to children instead of letting them put it on themselves. Keep insect repellent away from your eyes, nose and mouth. When you return inside, make sure you wash your skin with soap and warm water.
• Limit outdoor activities: Mosquitoes are most prevalent at dust and dawn. When outside during these times, wear long-sleeved shirts, socks and pants as the weather permits. Use extra protection if you’re in a wet or wooded area. You can protect your young children by placing netting over their strollers. If you live in the Cape Cod area, you are more prone to mosquito bites in the summer because of the warm, moist atmosphere. Be aware that when you go outside, you may encounter a mosquito carrying West Nile virus or EEE.
• Trim your trees and bushes: Mosquitoes like to gather in lush vegetation. Tall shrubberies could block the harsh winds that make it difficult for mosquitoes to fly. Trimming the greenery in your yard could help prevent mosquito bites. You could also plant flowers that repel mosquitoes. Marigolds, mint, basil and other flowers produce aromas that repel mosquitoes.
• Remove standing water and other mosquito breeding sites: Stagnant water could be a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Dispose of tin cans, plastic jugs and other containers that could fill with water. Make sure your outdoor recycle receptacle has holes in it for water to drain out. Clean your roof’s gutters in the spring and fall to ensure that rainwater drains from them. Clear out leaves from your yard. Flip over kiddie pools and wheelbarrows when you aren’t using them. Discard old tires on your property, where mosquitoes enjoy breeding.
• Repair holes in screens: While mosquitoes like to stay outside, they’ll come into your home through open doors or windows. When it’s warm outside, you’ll probably have your window or door open with the screen down to keep the bugs out. Make sure there are no holes or rips in your screens. Always close the door completely after coming in from the outside. Keep screens closed while you’re inside, so you don’t let mosquitoes into your house.

How to Prevent Tick Bites

Since ticks can’t fly or jump, you can avoid them as long as you know where they’re hiding. Follow these tips about dealing with the ticks in your area:

• Avoid coming into contact with ticks: Find out which species of ticks are common in your neighborhood. Ticks live outside, especially in wooded areas. They can also attach to animals, so be careful when walking your dog or hiking on a nature trail. Spending any time outside near tall grass could bring you into contact with ticks. Avoid wooded areas with high grass and piles of leaves.
• Wear the right clothes outside: If you’re going to be out in a wooded area, make sure you wear close-toed shoes and high socks. You should also wear light-colored clothes, so you can see a tick on you. Since ticks can attach to your skin, do what you can to cover all your exposed skin, even in warm weather.
• Prepare your yard: Even if you don’t live in a wooded area, you can still come into contact with ticks. Clean up fallen leaves or debris after a storm to remove the places where ticks can hide. Cut your grass low, so they don’t make a home in your cozy lawn. Put out your lawn furniture in a sunny, dry area of the backyard.
• Wear tick repellent: To avoid ticks, you can treat your clothes and outdoor gear with permethrin. You can also buy boots and camping gear that contain a healthy level of permethrin. Permethrin goes on your clothing, not your skin. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also has approved of repellent that is safe for humans but deadly for ticks. When applying tick repellent, always follow the instructions on the label. If you spend a long time outside, you might need to reapply the tick repellent after a couple of hours.
• Check your clothing and gear: After you’ve been outside, you should check your clothes to make sure you didn’t bring any inside. If you find a tick on your clothes, remove it with tweezers and flush it down the toilet. Tumble dry any infected clothes on high heat for 10 minutes. If you have to wash the clothes first, make sure you use hot water when you run the washing machine. Cold and medium heat will not kill germs from ticks. You should also check your shoes and outdoor equipment for ticks.
• Take a shower: Showering within two hours of coming back inside reduces your risk of Lyme disease. In the shower, you can wash away any ticks that may have stuck to your skin and can help you check your body for tick marks. Over the summer, you should make a habit of showering daily to repel ticks and bacteria.
• Check your body: You should check your whole body to make sure no ticks are hiding anywhere. Use a mirror to catch a glimpse of all the parts of your body. Inspect the areas of your body that have hair and openings. Check your ears, the top of your head and inside the belly button. If you were outside with children, you should check their bodies also. You should also feel for ticks in places you might not be able to see them, like under your arms or behind your knees. If a tick attaches to you and bites you, seek medical attention immediately.

 

Choose Cape Cod Pest Pros for Your Mosquito and Tick Control in Cape Cod

We are the experts in mosquito and tick control services in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. We use a fogging barrier treatment on areas such as bushes and patios to get rid of mosquitoes and ticks for good. If you’re concerned about contracting tick and mosquito-borne diseases in Cape Cod, let us put your mind at ease. We’ll do a free inspection in your home for disease-carrying mosquitoes and tackle the issue head-on.

If you live near Cape Cod in Massachusetts, you can protect yourself and your family from tick and mosquito bites. Schedule a complimentary inspection today by calling (508) 888-0999. You can also fill out a contact form to get in touch with one of our professionals.