While small and annoying, mosquitoes actually cause more deaths than any other animal because they are carriers of many fatal diseases including; dengue fever, yellow fever, malaria and encephalitis.  They can even kill Fido by transmitting heartworm to him or her. 

Universally disliked, the mosquito is not without some interesting characteristics.  Did you know…?

-          Only the female bites humans and animals? This is because they are seeking protein from blood to nourish their eggs.

-          That super irritating buzz they make as they dip in and out of your ear is the sound of their wings beating 300-600 times PER SECOND.

-          Mosquitoes can detect a human based on our carbon dioxide output from up to 100 feet away.

To take action against this highly annoying, summer fun stealing animal, in addition to using a DEET-based bug repellent, get to the real source of the problem. Mosquitoes need water to breed so, unless you want a baby nursery in the yard, eliminate all stagnant or slow moving water sources. And because mosquitoes rest in the grass and vegetation during the day, be sure to keep your lawn mowed and the weeds away from the house.

To help stop the swatting, you can also try these other recommended prevention methods: installing yellow ‘bug’ lights, spraying your yard with a commercial grade insecticide and citronella candles.  But don’t waste your time and money on bug zappers, Citrosa plants or bats to rid you of these fun-killers.