If you’re averse to the creepy crawlies that inhabit our landscapes, this summer could be a tough one.
Not only are Connecticut’s lawns, meadows and woodlands now crawling with new tick species, but state officials say this could be a particularly abundant year for ticks.
Add in disease-carrying mosquitoes and the Coronavirus - which has many of us spending more time in our yards - and it’s no wonder that companies like Mosquito Joe, which treat outdoor spaces to keep ticks and mosquitoes at bay, are so busy.
"We’ve seen a greater demand for our service now that people are home and spending more time on their property,” says Renee Perdue, a Mosquito Joe franchise owner along with her husband, Patrick Perdue. “We love being outside and know the value of a protected outdoor space especially with two young children, a French Bulldog, and an organic vegetable garden!’”
Mosquito Joe uses only environmentally-friendly products to eliminate mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas without harming the natural landscape, she says. "Our team is certified and trained with programs like Pollinators' Protection Program protecting beneficial insects, like ladybugs and bees."
Mosquito Joe's most popular program is an all-natural botanical oil blend with several active ingredients that break the breeding cycle while creating and maintaining a barrier around your property to keep disease-borne insects out. With about two dozen products at their disposal, Mosquito Joe's services are customized and never a one-size-fits all. By breaking the breeding cycle, we get to adults on contact and prevent larvae, pupa, and nymphs from becoming breeding adults, she says.
The tick and mosquito season is based on temperatures and subsequent breeding cycles, she says, and typically runs from March until October while mosquitoes and ticks are active. During that period, Mosquito Joe will treat properties every three weeks with the time-released products.
Mosquito Joe is a national company and the franchise the Perdues have operated for four years - called Mosquito Joe CT Shoreline East - provides services along the shoreline and throughout the central Connecticut region, including Glastonbury, Rocky Hill and Middletown. For a complete list of the company’s service area visit CTSLE.MosquitoJoe.com.
Such insect treatment companies have been growing in recent years as homeowners and consumers become more aware of the dangers of tick and mosquito-borne illnesses. Ticks can transmit Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Mosquitoes carry Eastern Equine Encephalitis as well as the Zika Virus. And fleas can carry typhus.
“For families like ours who love being outside & want protection but also want to protect our organic landscape, our service is the most effective choice,” Renee says.
