PSA: DO NOT SPRAY YOUR YARD WITH PESTICIDES TO COMBAT MOSQUITOS

[Anonymous]

I much prefer having my yard sprayed to coating everyone with OFF. I've made the best decision for my family and don't care whether you agree or not.

[Anonymous]

I spray the yard when we have an outdoor party, which is about once every 5 years. No guilt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what do people do? I just saw a headline that this is the worst West Nile outbreak in the US since it was first detected in the US in 1999.

My yard is SWARMING with mosquitoes. My kid went in the backyard yesterday to pick blueberries off our bush and he came back with at least 7 bites after being out there only 20 minutes. So I'm told. I wasnt home at the time. We always buy the organic/natural bug spray but lately hubby has been using Deet products on himself. He spents a lot of time in the yard doing yardwork and gardening.

Blueberries? Where do you live? Blueberry season ended in the DC area a long time ago.

I live in DC. We have four blueberry bushes in our backyard. My kids picked a bowl full yesterday.

[Anonymous]

I'm the PP. And what does a long time ago mean exactly? We've had blueberries all summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I much prefer having my yard sprayed to coating everyone with OFF. I've made the best decision for my family and don't care whether you agree or not.

Me too; one of my kids has a severe reactions to mosquito bites. They swell up the size of quarters, turn into blisters and don't go away for more than a week. If we are out if our yard we all use DEET but in our own yard we spray so we can actually be outside during the summer

[Anonymous]

I say spray spray spray. The fact that we don't is ridiculous. Mosiqtoes are a nusience and a health hazard. It's a shame that anyone died from west Nile. There are 4 confirmed cases of the virus on our area already and while that is a relatively small number compared to the population, my feeling is that is four to many.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't want to get West Nile but like a PP said, in most cases it is non-critical.

If there was a vaccine I'd get it, but since there is not, I'll take precautions but don't want the county dousing us all with pesticides.

This is how I feel.

Skip the pesticides. I'd rather the risk of West Nile versus the risk of pesticides.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I much prefer having my yard sprayed to coating everyone with OFF. I've made the best decision for my family and don't care whether you agree or not.

+1

[Anonymous]

Thankfully we have mosquito squad this year. Still get bit at other peoples houses, but we have played outside all summer and it has been wonderful. Our pool sprays too, making that even more enjoyable. Good luck to op staying indoors with no lights on, no phones, no car, and no anything else that could possibly be harmful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thankfully we have mosquito squad this year. Still get bit at other peoples houses, but we have played outside all summer and it has been wonderful. Our pool sprays too, making that even more enjoyable. Good luck to op staying indoors with no lights on, no phones, no car, and no anything else that could possibly be harmful.

There are other alternatives to staying inside and dousing yourself or your yard with chemicals.

[Anonymous]

First of all, OP is correct that the pesticides used in spraying (by companies like MS) have been linked to infertility, learning and developmental delays, and autism. There is a reason those issues are on the rise in the U.S.

Impact of Prenatal Exposure to Piperonyl Butoxide and Permethrin on 36-Month Neurodevelopment: http://www.citeulike.org/user/alexhakkinen/article/10158369

Second, the reason kids are reacting so strongly to mosquito bites is twofold:

1. Other chemicals (yep, more toxic chemicals!) like triclosan (a common antibacterial agent) are in EVERYTHING nowadays (toothpaste, soap, deodorant, hand sanitizer, impregnated into clothing, etc). Triclosan has been shown to increase the risk of developing allergies (as well as other scary effects like weakening heart muscles and lowering resistance to hormone disruptors like BPA). I'll bet your kids have significant exposure, like pretty much all Americans.
2. Less exposure to mosquito bites increases the risk that the immune system will categorize bites as a threat and cause a big histaminergic/inflammatory response.

P.S. I have a degree in Chem, and it disgusts me that the FDA and EPA allow so many chemicals to be used in our country without strict safety testing. This policy of "safe until proven dangerous" is what's to blame for the rise in MANY illnesses and disorders.

[Anonymous]

Start with long sleeved (lightweight) shirts and pants.

Hoodies work great, too.

And you know what works BEST for mosquitos? FANS. If you have a small area, buy a big ol' fan for your porch/patio. That's going to be your best bet at keeping the bugs away, at least in a small area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I much prefer having my yard sprayed to coating everyone with OFF. I've made the best decision for my family and don't care whether you agree or not.

I can't believe you're totally comfortable increasing everyone's chances of all that OP listed just so you're comfy. So incredibly selfish.

Those who live in areas where you can, is your yard friendly to bats and birds? I'm pretty sure fogging your yard screws with their systems, which is funny considering a single bat can eat 1000 skeeters an hour. Do you have standing water on your property? And I mean any: a mosquito can lay eggs in the lid to a coke bottle.

[Anonymous]

Just sprayed love my yard again

[Anonymous]

I'm trying to remember but can't - when does mosquito season end?