Islamabad: As the heat rises during the summer months, the mosquito season reaches its peak. The warm temperature is ideal to hasten their life cycle, which means more mosquitoes are laying eggs and more eggs are hatching. Apart from the annoyance and itch, mosquitoes bring with them the threat of serious diseases like malaria and dengue fever.
As female mosquitoes hop from one host to another, sinking their needle-like stinger to suck blood which they need to get protein to nourish their eggs, they transmit germs and viruses of diseases any host might be carrying. Mosquito bites can also cause severe reactions that may have to be treated with anti-allergy medicine.
How to Get Rid of Mosquito?
One of the responsibilities of an efficient homemaker is to take measures to keep her family safe from such threats. Here are some things you can do to make sure your home and vicinity are safe from the menace of mosquitoes:
Eliminate standing water: The foremost thing is to show zero tolerance for standing water — something which is a prevalent and perpetual problem on the streets and alleys of Pakistan.
May it be salty or fresh; in your gardens, driveways, roads, gutters, and ditches — make sure these pools of water are cleaned up because that’s where mosquitoes will lay their eggs and hatch. Mosquitoes will sniff outstanding water even if it is a small puddle under plant pots, tanks, birdbaths, inside tires and under dripping air conditioners. Keeping yourself safe may even mean being vigilant enough to fill up any holes in the ground near your home where water might collect.
Cover yourself: It may be sweltering hot but make sure you and your family wear long-sleeved, loose cotton and lawn clothes especially if it involves an outing after dark in an open-air space like parks, beaches or roadsides.
Apply safe mosquito repellents: There is a range of mosquito coils, power guards and creams which can help ward off mosquitoes, which should be kept handy.
The number of hours a repellent remains effective depends on product to product, on the amount of active ingredient, air temperature, activity, sweating and water exposure, to mention a few.
Keep cool: Mosquitoes are considered to be attracted to warm bodies that emit sweat and carbon dioxide; so turning the fan on high or keeping cool with the air conditioner on, especially during the night, can help prevent mosquito bites. This affinity for heat is the reason why mosquitoes swarm around dark colors like black because such hues absorb heat.
Killing the ‘buzzers’: Harsh but true — use a swatter, a spray or electronic zapper — but ruthlessly killing mosquitoes is the answer to keeping your loved ones safe. Spray inside your rooms after dark and keep doors closed. Use coils and zappers at the entrance to your home and in gardens and porches.
A proactive approach to keeping yourself safe from these pests might just be the step that needs to be taken to keep you and your family mosquito-free.