Condo Media - June 2017 - 44

What's Bugging You?
HABITAT MODIFICATION
Treating for these pests has its challenges, and there are some key factors
to assess before you consider "chemicals." Habitat modification goes a long
way to reducing the pressure mosquitoes and ticks put on your property.
Here are some factors to consider:
n Standing water: Mosquitoes breed

in stagnant/ standing water - if you
have ponds or other standing bodies
on your property, properly maintaining and treating these bodies is a
critical step. Your pest management
professional can apply larvicides,
specifically formulated to control
mosquito larvae before they hatch.
Also don't forget to empty out that
birdbath and remove any clutter or
debris that collects water, like the old
tires behind the shed, unused flower
pots, removing puddles from tarps
covering equipment, pool covers, and
ensuring any gutters are flowing.

n Brush Piles/leaf litter/grass clip-

pings: Don't delay - take them away.
All are highly conducive environments for ticks and mosquitoes alike.

n Landscaping: Ticks hang out on the

tall grasses bordering our properties'
landscaped areas - referred to as the
Eco-Tone (the area where manicured and
landscaped grounds meet the "edge" of
the property). Keeping those tall grasses
trimmed, and perhaps extending the
mow line a bit deeper into the woods, can
reduce pressure on your outdoor spaces.

Implementing any of these good
housekeeping steps will go a long way to
suppressing mosquito and tick pressure
on your property, but they still may not
be enough to comfortably enjoy that
outdoor space tenants and homeowners love - the pool, the barbeque, the
backyard, and beyond.

There are a number of options for
mosquito and tick suppression - but
it is important to note that it is just
that: suppression. It is impossible to
eliminate mosquitoes and ticks in their
entirety - and that's ok - they, too,
have a beneficial role to play as part of
our unique ecosystem. Suppression
programs, in conjunction with the
measures outlined above, can reduce
numbers substantially - and that can
make a big difference in protecting

Reported Cases
of Lyme Disease-
United States, 2015

1 dot placed randomly within county
of residence for each confirmed case

residents, children, and pets from the
threats these pests present.
CONVENTIONAL AND ORGANIC
TREATMENT OPTIONS
When it is time to treat with chemicals,
there are a few popular options to
consider.
The most cost-effective and simple
treatment is conducted with a gasoline
powered backpack sprayer, using a
mist blower to apply residual insecticides and plant based products to areas
on your property where mosquitos
and ticks congregate. These areas are
primarily on the edge of your property
or "Eco-Tone," and in shaded areas of
foliage where mosquitos rest during
the day and ticks "quest" in search of a
host to grab on to.

Many pest-management firms offer
both conventional and organic options
for these perimeter treatments, and
both options are effective and safe.
Whether "organic" or "conventional,"
both need to be reapplied throughout
the season, commonly on a 30-day interval to maintain suppression. It is important to consider environmental conditions when applying these treatments,
such as avoiding plants in bloom to
protect pollinator health, staying away
from treatments on windy days when
material drift cannot be controlled, or
rainy days when the application will not
be given time to dry and thus adhere to
the treatment zones.
LYME DISEASE AND WEST
NILE VIRUS TRANSMISSION
Mist blower treatments effectively
suppress both mosquitos and adult
ticks, however there are also hosttargeted treatments for tick control
that can be added to any 30-day mist
regiment. These host-targeted measures work by treating resident rodent
populations, which are actually the
critters that carry and transmit Lyme
to ticks - not deer. By installing bait
stations with Fipronil wicks (the same
chemical used in domestic dog and cat
flea and tick control), again around
the Eco-Tone of the property - the
resident rodent population is treated
when they enter the stations for a
snack, rub up against the Fipronil
wick, and effectively treat themselves
for ticks and fleas. The CDC recognizes this method as the most effective
method for controlling populations of
Lyme-carrying ticks.
Implementing safe and effective
chemical and organic control programs
are becoming increasingly important,
as the CDC recognizes New England as
an epicenter for Lyme-carrying ticks.
While local transmission of the Zika
virus is not a prominent concern in the

Implementing safe and effective chemical and organic control programs are
becoming increasingly important, as the CDC recognizes New England as
an epicenter for Lyme-carrying ticks.
44

CONDOMEDIA

Condo Media - June 2017

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