HUNTINGDON VALLEY, Pa., July 15, 2019 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — In the midst of summer, kids need protection from disease-carrying mosquitoes and ticks. The experts at Giroud Tree and Lawn share a summertime checklist to keep kids safe from biting insects.
Making Kids Aware of Dangerous Insects
Teaching kids ways to prevent mosquito and tick bites will empower them to be mindful of their surroundings while out in nature. It’s important to start mosquito and tick bite prevention habits early and reinforce them often. Parents can work together as a family to prepare for outside play and to check for mosquito bites and ticks once back home.
Summertime Checklist to Keep Kids Safe from Biting Insects
- Wear light and neutral colored clothing: Mosquitoes are attracted to things that mimic nature like the colors in flowers, foliage or animals. Dress kids in white, beige or khaki if they’re heading out for an adventure.
- Go Natural: Avoid heavily scented shampoos and any products that contain fragrances
- Cover up: If kids are playing outside near water or woods, they should wear lightweight, long sleeves, long pants, and socks. Mosquitoes are most attracted to areas where the skin is thinner and the blood vessels are closer to the surface such as the ears, wrists, and ankles. Parents should teach kids to tuck their pants into their socks if they will be walking through high grasses or underbrush. This will prevent ticks from crawling up their legs.
- Use Repellents: Of course, DEET is the go-to chemical repellent. But there are natural alternatives. Often sold in health food stores, non-toxic, botanical repellents should be reapplied about every thirty minutes to remain effective. Repellents containing soybean oil protect for about ninety minutes—comparable to DEET. When mosquitoes start landing on the skink again, that’s the signal to reapply repellent.
- Always Perform a Full Body Tick Check after Outside Play: Kids might be exhausted after playing outside all day in the hot summer sun, but it’s vital to always check for ticks once they’ve arrived home.
Protect Kids by Protecting the Property
There is a lot homeowners can do to protect the property. It takes an all-out assault on the parts of the yard that attract mosquitoes and ticks as well as creating a pest repellent barrier.
- Treat the Hot Spots and Perimeter of the Yard: Some insect control companies have both Organic and Traditional Mosquito and Tick Control treatment plans. Most treatments kill the pests on contact and then repel for several weeks.
- Remove or Empty Objects that Collect Water: Mosquitoes need water for two stages of their life cycle. Keep rain gutters clear and unclogged. Remove old tires, buckets, plastic covers, or any other container. Empty and change the water in birdbaths, fountains, wading pools, rain barrels and potted plant trays at least once a week. Drain temporary pools of water or fill with dirt. “Consider purchasing a battery operated water motion machine or a water baffler machine for your pond,” suggests Giroud Plant Health Care Manager, Rodney Stahl. “These water agitators will keep water in motion and deter mosquitoes from breeding”
- Prune or Remove Overgrown Vegetation: Mosquitoes are shade lovers. An ISA Certified Arborist can eliminate shady habitats in two ways. First, cleaning up and/or clearing overgrown areas. Second, pruning tree branches and shrubs around the lawn edge to let in more sunlight.
- Use yellow light bulbs in outdoor fixtures. They aren’t as attractive to bugs.
- Plant mosquito-repelling plants. These include scented geraniums, lemon thyme, marigold, tansy, citrus plants, sweet basil and/or sassafras near the home.
About Giroud Tree and Lawn:
Giroud Tree and Lawn specializes in tree service, lawn care and mosquito and tick control programs that make customers love doing business with the company since 1974. Serving Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties, the company offers professional tree and lawn evaluation, tree pruning, tree removal, insect and disease control, fertilizing, stump removal, traditional and 100% organic lawn programs and mosquito and tick control. Giroud Arborists are certified by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) and have the knowledge and experience required to properly diagnose, treat and maintain trees and lawn health.
The company is Accredited by the Tree Care Industry Association and Better Business Bureau. Giroud has also been awarded the Angie’s List Super Service Award® every year since 2005. The “Giroud Treework for Charity” program donates free tree care services to parks, historical sites and other non-profit organizations located in the Company’s service area. For more information, visit the company website at http://www.giroudtree.com or call 215-682-7704.
News Source: Giroud Tree and Lawn
