Mosquitoes In The Great Outdoors
“There’s a mosquito flying around my head and I can’t get it,” complained my husband. “You’ve got to find it.”
“Seriously?” I whined. “It’s not bothering me!”
“You’ve got to get it so I can sleep,” he maintained. So I rose from my sleepiness in the middle of the night, flicked on the light, stood on the bed near the brightness and tried to find the little beastie!
Yes! This actually happened more than once in the early years of our marriage! He, I reasoned, was the one who really had to sleep in order to be able to get up for work the next morning. It mattered not that he woke me from my sleep, or that I had a baby to tend to during the day! I’d be able to find a moment later in the day, hopefully, to nap.
Mosquitos are what seem like fickle little creatures that can bite a body to pieces in a matter of moments. Even while in the same ‘space,’ with my husband, he seemed to be one of those whose body scent attracted them. When that female mosquito would light on his body, she’d pierce his skin, lubricate his flesh with her saliva, and suck his blood out.
These actions would enable her to produce the eggs she would lay, that would create more of these tiny flying critters! I’m not sure at the time I realized the importance of protecting ourselves from these bites. Certainly, no one likes being stung or bitten by anything. It brings swelling, itching and sometimes even pain.
But these little varmints can be downright deadly! Sir Ronald Ross discovered the females can transmit malaria in 1897. They are also responsible for the West Nile Fever, Yellow Fever and more! And, it takes a single bite of an infected mosquito to cause an infection.
Because of this discovery, World Mosquito Day (August 20) was initiated to educate and bring awareness to people across the globe of the poison these little brutes can carry. The day was created to let people know the importance of keeping yards free of standing water; including that which can be beneath leaves and other debris left in gutters, standing pails or even bird baths and water left for outside pets.
In addition to removing standing water, a favorite place to lay eggs; mosquitos also like grass clipping, raked leaves, compost piles or even thick vegetation of any kind in which to hide if there is any moisture within. The vegetation is also protection from any breeze, since they find it difficult to fly when there is any wind motion.
Thankfully there hasn’t been many reported cases of mosquito borne diseases here in America, for some years. Yet there is about 50% of the world where information is lacking about the risk for outbreaks. According to some documentation, there have been four cases of malaria transmission since 2000 here in the United States. But there is concern that the risk is rising due to international travel and our lack of preparedness, should an outbreak occur.
I encourage you, while enjoying the ‘great outdoors’, beware of the dangers of mosquitoes insomuch as you can, around your personal space, and dress appropriately when entering an area likely filled with mosquitoes. The last thing any of us need is one more ‘virus’ to turn our world upside down!
#WorldMosquitoDay #WearLightClothing #Malaria #StandingWaterAndDebris #WestNileFever #FemaleMosquitosSpreadDisease #RisksRisingForAnOutbreak #TheGreatOutdoors
Photo Credit: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/837247386979572716/