Live in Gloucester County? You Need to Protect Yourself from West Nile!

It was recently announced that Gloucester County has some of the highest rates of West Nile Virus infected mosquitos in New Jersey. The rates of mosquito pools tested for the virus rose by 93% from 2016. It’s more important than ever to protect yourself and your family from this virus.

One of the best ways to protect yourself is to ensure your backyard is free of these pests. Now that the weather is getting more beautiful, you’ll want to spend more time enjoying your backyard. Take a look at some of our best tips for guarding your yard and your family from these pesky bugs.

·         Spray yourself often.

Wear an effective bug repellent every time you spend time outdoors. This is the best defense you have against the West Nile Virus.

·         Remove standing water.

Standing water attracts and helps mosquitos to breed. Check your entire yard for any standing water. Not only does it make your backyard look bad, it’s unsafe!

·         Spray the yard.

There are commercially available mosquito repellant sprays that you can use in your backyard to safeguard against mosquitos. Many of these sprays attach to your garden hose making it possible to spray large areas quickly.

·         Hire the pros.

Lots of exterminators offer professional services to safeguard against mosquitos. Consider hiring a professional company to treat your lawn this season.

·         Plant mosquito repellant plants.

Plants like citronella can help to naturally repel mosquitos from coming into your yard. Do research into what sorts of plants will thrive in your specific yard and will repel these pesky bugs.

·         Cover vulnerable areas of your body.

Your feet are one of the most attractive areas to mosquitos. If you’re going to be spending lots of time outdoors, consider wearing closed shoes to help protect yourself. Wearing light colored long sleeves and pants to protect other areas of your body is another great way to safeguard yourself.

·         Make your lighting work double duty.

Seek out mosquito repellent lamps, candles, and lanterns before planning your next gathering. You need lighting outside anyway, why not make it work to protect you and your family from bug bites?

·         Did we mention that you should spray yourself?

The best defense you have is spraying yourself with a great bug repellant. Whether a traditional deet repellent or one of the homeopathic options on the market. Any bug spray is better than none.

These tips work best in conjunction with one another to protect you and your yard. Keep these tips in mind as you plan outdoor fun so that you can enjoy the great spring and summer weather without the fear of West Nile carrying mosquitos.