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Get the Facts on Mosquito "Fogging"
The May Long Weekend is here and for most that marks the unofficial start of summer. The blackflies and mosquitoes are just starting to emerge and this is the time mosquito control services come around offering to rid your property of those pesky bugs with their "fogging" services. The common products used for fogging are
concentrated garlic oil and pyrethrin, which is naturally derived from chrysanthemums or
its synthetic version. Sounds natural and harmless enough. But get the facts first and think
twice before using mosquito fogging services on your property.
Some facts about pyrethrin:
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Highly toxic to ALL insects, honeybees, butterflies and dragonflies
- Highly toxic to fish and aquatic insects
- Can enter lake water from soil through erosion and drifting in the wind
- Non-toxic to birds
- Low potential to move to groundwater
- Breaks down quickly in soil and water in the presence of sunlight, but breaks down more slowly in the absence of sunlight
- Does not dissolve in water and tends to bind to sediment
- Low toxicity to humans and other mammals
- Direct exposure to skin can cause irritation, numbness and tingling at site of contact
- Direct exposure to eyes can cause irritation, blurred vision, tearing, itchiness
- When inhaled, symptoms of irritation of the respiratory system, runny nose, coughing, difficulty breathing
- Infants, children, the elderly and people with sensitive skin and lung disorders are more vulnerable
- Garlic oil is thought to have fewer negative side-effects, but it is known to be toxic to fish.
Not only is fogging indiscriminate, but it also has short-term effectiveness. Fogging kills adult mosquitoes that are present at the time of spraying, with effects lasting only a few
days. It does not address breeding sources, allowing new mosquitoes to emerge quickly. Regular fogging can result in mosquitoes developing resistance to the chemicals used.
Mosquitoes breed in standing water, so your first line of defense should be to eliminate
stagnant water on your property. Planting insect repelling plants like citronella, lavender,
garlic, lemon grass, rosemary, basil, catnip, marigolds and petunias can help reduce the
presence of these pests. But to survive bug season, it’s best to apply bug repellant,
wear light coloured clothing with long sleeves and pants and avoid going outside at
dawn and dusk. Black flies and mosquitoes are a fact of life in cottage country. They are
part of the forests, lakes and wildlife that attracted us here in the first place.
For more information about pyrethrins click here>
Original article by Caroline Konarzewski, updated by Wendy Gibson
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