Tips to Help Fans From Allowing Insects to Score Touchdowns

With college football season beginning Labor Day weekend and professional football starting one week later, millions of football fans around the United States are once again taking part in the art and spirit of tailgating. As grand picnics outside sports venues, tailgates are a perfect vehicle for unwanted insects to join the party; however, there are ways to keep pests from spoiling the fun.

For starters, it is important to know what type of insects will be on the offensive at a tailgate party before you can prepare a proper defense. There are three insects to be aware of during your tailgating festivities.

Crazy Ants, Mosquitoes and Brown Recluse Spiders all fit the profile of tailgate party crashers. Each of these insects has the ability to cause problems for food, guests and pets under the right conditions.

One proven method of keeping Crazy Ants away is to make use of properly sealed food containers, because food scent will otherwise attract these uninvited guests.

Meanwhile, with football starting during the warm-weather time of year, the range of impact mosquitoes can have during tailgating season is tremendous. It is important to drain any sources of standing water near your favorite tailgating spot. In addition, applying insect repellent repeatedly to exposed skin and clothing can help keep mosquitoes at bay while outdoors.

One of the sneakier pests at a tailgate is likely to be the Brown Recluse Spider. Because tailgaters often take their shoes off and relax in the hours prior to a football game, these spiders can crawl into shoes without warning. I cannot stress enough the importance of shaking out shoes prior to putting them back on in order to minimize the possibility of being bitten by a Brown Recluse Spider, and if you are changing clothes prior to the game, avoid keeping clothing on the floor as well.

By taking these simple precautions football fans around the country can keep insects from making touchdowns on bodies.

In the meantime, be safe, stay dry, and hope you all have a buzzing day! The Mousecar is riding around with his windows down, looking for more friends on Facebook (Truly Nolen Mousecar) and tweeps on Twitter (@TrulyNolen) – interested?

Barry The Bug Guy

As outbreaks of West Nile Virus among humans have slowly started to occur this summer, now is the time for people across the United States to be on their toes.

Last year, there were 1,356 West Nile Virus cases throughout the United States, with 44 fatalities. While the numbers are down from 2007’s totals of 3,630 cases and 124 fatalities, they show how serious this threat should be taken each year.

West Nile Virus is a mosquito-borne disease that was first seen in North America in 1999. Mild symptoms include fever, headache, body aches, skin rash and swollen lymph glands. As there is no specific treatment for infection or vaccine to prevent it, the most serious manifestation of West Nile Virus is a fatal inflammation of the brain in humans and horses, as well as mortality in certain domestic and wild birds.

Transmitted to humans through an infected mosquito’s bite, there have already been 58 confirmed cases of West Nile Virus this year. Of these cases, while none have resulted in fatalities, it is important for people to understand the importance of seeking medical care as soon as possible for persons who have symptoms suggesting severe illness.

There ere are several ways to help control the mosquito population to best prevent these diseases from gaining a stronger foothold. It is important to drain any sources of standing water in the yard. In addition, emptying old flower pots, tires and other containers of water can also help prevent the spread. Still water is a magnet for breeding mosquitoes.”
Please remember that any attempt to prevent mosquito bites should also include the following elements:

• From now until October, minimize your time spent outdoors, especially at dawn and early evening, when mosquitoes are most active.
• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors.
• Apply insect repellent repeatedly to exposed skin and clothing.
• Make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens.

In the meantime, be safe, stay dry, and hope you all have a buzzing day! The Mousecar is riding around with his windows down, looking for more friends on Facebook (Truly Nolen Mousecar) and tweeps on Twitter (@TrulyNolen) – interested?

Barry The Bug Guy

Most people treat their dogs and pets as members of the family, but much like a cold that causes humans to feel sick, people need to be aware of how their pet’s health can be affected by indoor and outdoor insects.

For example, it is easy to forget that pets suffer from mosquito bites too.  Mosquitoes feed on blood, so anytime your pet is in an active mosquito area, they are at risk of being bitten, which can cause conditions such as heartworm disease, which is a slow developing disease that often proves fatal for cats and dogs if left unchecked. In fact, one flea can bite your pet more than 400 times a day, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s FDA Consumer magazine. So how can responsible pet owners take precautions against mosquitoes?

Disrupting mosquito breeding grounds is the key in helping to prevent the spread of mosquito-borne viruses. It is important to drain any sources of standing water in the yard. In addition, emptying old flower pots, tires and other containers of water can also help prevent the spread. Still water is a magnet for breeding mosquitoes.

Meanwhile, fleas and ticks are no picnic for pets either.  A flea’s saliva can cause anemia, dermatitis and a transfer of tapeworms to a pet, while ticks can cause even more severe conditions such as muscle weakness, loss of coordination and sometimes even death from respiratory failure.

Here are some tips I recommend to help protect your pets from pests ruining their spring and summer:

• Check your pets regularly for mosquito bites, flea dirt and ticks, especially after being outdoors. Any excessive scratching, licking or grooming behavior is normally a tip-off that a bite or infestation has occurred.

• Be aware of tall grassy areas where fleas and ticks gather and try to avoid them.
• Be aware that dawn and dusk is when mosquitoes are most active, so try walking your pets outside of these parameters.
• Be proactive inside the home by thoroughly washing pet bedding and regular vacuuming.
• Consult a veterinarian about heartworm protection, as many monthly pill options exist, and before using any flea and tick treatment.
• If confronted with an indoor pest infestation, contact a licensed pest professional to treat the problem.

In the meantime, be safe, stay dry, and hope you all have a buzzing day! The Mousecar is riding around with his windows down, looking for more friends on Facebook (Truly Nolen Mousecar) and tweeps on Twitter (@TrulyNolen) – interested?

Barry The Bug Guy

With college and pro football season already well underway, millions of football fans around the United States are once again taking part in the art of tailgating. As glorified picnics outside sports venues, tailgates are a perfect vehicle for unwanted insects to join the party; however, there are ways to keep insects from spoiling the fun.

For starters, it is important to know what type of insects will be on the offensive at a tailgate before you can prepare a proper defense. Crazy Ants, Mosquitoes and Brown Recluse Spiders all fit the profile of tailgate party crashers. Each of these insects has the ability to cause problems for food, guests and pets under the right conditions.

One proven method of keeping Crazy Ants away is to make use of properly sealed food containers, because food scent will otherwise attract these uninvited guests. Meanwhile, with football a traditional warm-weather sport, the range of impact mosquitoes can have during tailgating season is tremendous. It is important to drain any sources of standing water near your favorite tailgating spot. In addition, applying insect repellent repeatedly to exposed skin and clothing can help keep mosquitoes at bay while outdoors.

One of the sneakier pests at a tailgate is likely to be the Brown Recluse Spider. Because tailgaters often take their shoes off and relax in the hours prior to a football game, these spiders can crawl into shoes without warning. I cannot stress enough the importance of shaking out shoes prior to putting them back on in order to minimize the possibility of being bitten by a Brown Recluse Spider. If changing clothes prior to the game, avoid keeping clothing on the floor as well.

Be safe, stay dry, and hope you all have a buzzing day! The Mousecar is riding around with his windows down, looking for more friends – interested? Visit www.facebook.com and friend the Truly Nolen Mousecar!

Barry The Bug Guy

With Florida’s first case of West Nile Virus for 2008 recently discovered in Pensacola, and increase in rain production causing a definite possibility of additional mosquitoes wreaking havoc, I thank our friends in Mobile, AL at WPMI-NBC 15 for allowing me to tell South Alabama and Florida Panhandle viewers Tuesday September 23 during the 12 noon (central) hour steps they can take to give them the best chance of not being bitten by mosquitoes. Their website is www.wpmi.com. As a reminder, our Navarre, Fla. franchise services the Florida Panhandle from Panama City to Pensacola and all points in between.

What’s the Mousecar up to today? This week he has posted videos of songs he likes – Cars, Racing in the Street and Fast Car. To become friends with the Mousecar, we invite you to visit www.facebook.com and then once you are logged in, type in Truly Nolen Mousecar in the Search field on the top right of the screen. When the Mousecar pops up, click on “Add as Friend”, and within 24 hours, you will be added to his list.

Our website just added a new portal next to my blog – You can now purchase your pest control service online in four easy steps – visit our main page and click on the shopping cart in the bottom left corner.

My blog has a new category this week – Blogrolls (and no, this is not a kind of sushi). I have added five similar blogs that I find useful as a pest resource. These blogs are:

• American Pest Management
• Insects in the City
• JP McHale’s Pest Management
• Landscape Management
• One More Thing

I’m now 1-2 in my college football selections, as the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets lost in the waning moments against Virginia Tech. Notre Dame had some serious buzzing following a win over Michigan last week – I can still sense some buzz, so I’ll take them over Michigan State.

Be safe, stay dry, and hope you all have a buzzing day! The Mousecar is riding around with his windows down, looking for more friends – interested?

Barry The Bug Guy

SPLAT! If you’re over the age of 16 and have driven in Florida on the Turnpike during the summer, you’ve definitely encountered a flock of love bugs (not to be confused with A Flock of Seagulls and no, there is no truth to the urban legend that the insect was created in a University of Florida genetic lab). In fact, by the time you reach your destination, there are hundreds of acidic marks on your windshield that can affect the paint on your car if not washed off.

Yet, something is different in 2008. I just read a story that love bugs are mysteriously disappearing this year. A drier-than-normal May is the reason most experts believe the insects have not yet exploded on the scene like they normally do.

It seems likely that as rain picks up this summer, the love bugs will return in droves as they always do, people will begin refilling their windshield wiper fluid, and all will be okay with the world.

Speaking of low numbers, while we’ve only had eight cases of West Nile Virus in the U.S. in 2008 as of today (including Arizona, Texas and Oklahoma), it’s important to be prepared and take precautions that will help prevent mosquitoes from ruining your summer.

Disrupting mosquito breeding grounds is the key in helping to prevent the spread of West Nile or any other mosquito-borne virus. It is important to drain any sources of standing water in the yard. In addition, emptying old flower pots, tires and other containers of water can also help prevent the spread. Still water is a magnet for breeding mosquitoes.

Besides removing still water, any attempt to prevent mosquito bites should also include the following elements:

• From now until October, minimize your time spent outdoors, especially at dawn and early evening, when mosquitoes are most active.
• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors.
• Apply insect repellent repeatedly to exposed skin and clothing.
• Make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens.

I will be discussing mosquitoes, West Nile Virus and my prevention tips this Thursday, June 19 at 12:45 p.m. Central on KVIA-ABC 7, which is in El Paso, TX and reaches Las Cruces, NM as well. Their website is www.kvia.com.

Las Cruces is near and dear to my heart, as I have been fortunate to have a weekly column in the Las Cruces Bulletin since January 2007. I encourage you to visit their website at www.lascrucesbulletin.com, as the newspaper is one of the countries’ best weeklies.

Do you miss the love bugs? Does the name Herbie mean anything to you? Do you know anyone who has ever been affected by West Nile Virus? Let me know…

Barry the Bug Guy