With the official start of summer less than two weeks away, Chyvonne Shackelford-Bacon, owner of Mosquito Hunters in Willow Grove, has shared the following tips to reduce mosquito populations:

• Get rid of any standing water on your property, since female mosquito lays eggs in water
• Keep shrubs trimmed and lawns mowed, since those are nesting/hiding areas for mosquitoes
• Keep drains and ditches clean of debris and weeds, so that water drains properly

… as well as tick populations:

• Mow your lawn frequently
• Remove dead leaves around your property
• Clear tall grass and brush around the edges of your house
• Have a three-foot barrier of wood chips or gravel around the perimeter of your property to help keep ticks away from your home. 

…and flea populations:

• Vacuum every day or every other day in areas where pets sleep, as well as carpets, cushioned furniture, cracks and crevices on floors, along baseboards and the basement
• Wash all bedding where pets sleep in hot soapy water every three weeks.
• Steam clean carpets, since the steam and soap kill fleas at all stages of its lifecycle

To discuss the tips in greater detail, you can schedule an interview with Mosquito Hunters via their website. You can also email MH82@Mosquitohunters.com.

According to the Department of Health & Human Services, in 2023, 476,000 people were treated for Lyme Disease and there were over 2,000 cases of West Nile disease. 10 cases of locally-acquired malaria were reported in Florida, Texas, Maryland and Arkansas. 

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Photos: Mosquito Hunters