What Virginia Beach Residents Should Know About West Nile Virus Right Now

How West Nile Virus Spreads & What Actually Raises Mosquito Risk

As cases of West Nile Virus become confirmed in Virginia Beach, it’s understandable that residents are seeking solutions to calm their stress and fears. One important element is understanding how West Nile Virus spreads. As mosquitoes feed on infected birds, they can become carriers for the virus. As they become more established within residential areas and feed on local residents, they have the ability to transmit the disease to the people they bite. Most importantly, West Nile Virus is not spread from person to person, and not all mosquitoes will carry the virus.

Fever is a common symptom found in those with mild symptoms of West Nile Virus, but most people who contract the virus have minimal or no symptoms. For the immunocompromised, elderly, and young children, the risk for further illness increases but is not necessarily imminent. In order to reduce this risk, residents can focus on taking action to help protect themselves and their family. For example, use EPA-registered mosquito repellents and ensure exposed skin is fully covered to reduce the risk of mosquito bites. 

Practical Steps to Reduce Mosquito Exposure at Home

While it can be difficult to determine whether the mosquitoes at your home are carrying West Nile Virus, there are steps you can take to deter their presence and reduce overall transmission risks. 

Two important aspects involve limiting and removing resting areas and breeding grounds. Because mosquitoes can lay eggs within small pools of water, it’s essential to conduct regular sweeps after recent rainfall. The first 24-48 hours are the most crucial in reducing areas where mosquitoes can lay their eggs. Dump standing water from children’s toys, outdoor buckets and planters, tarps, and other areas where water can collect and sit undisturbed. Clear leaf litter from downspouts and gutters to help increase the flow of water and reduce areas where water pools and stagnates due to blockage. 

Trim outdoor areas such as lawns, bushes, and perimeters in order to reduce resting habitats for adult mosquitoes. These areas provide shade and humidity which allows mosquitoes to avoid the drying effects of the sun while waiting for a nearby host. Use EPA-registered repellents when spending time in your outdoor living spaces and cover exposed skin when reasonable. For indoor areas, ensure mesh screens are properly installed and free of rips, tears, and bends. This will help to reduce the areas where mosquitoes can enter homes and create additional feeding opportunities.

Where Professional Mosquito Control Fits In

Professional mosquito control services can help to reduce and control the mosquito population found at your Virginia Beach home. Typical services begin with a property inspection in order to learn the layout, take note of high risk areas, and create a preliminary plan to address mosquito activity. At Mosquito Squad of Hampton Roads, we use this information to create a tailored plan that will be used to target mosquito nesting and breeding areas around the home.

Barrier Treatment Plus is our traditional mosquito control treatment which reduces and controls mosquito activity for up to 21 days. Our technicians will use our potent blend to target areas where mosquitoes commonly nest and breed in order to create a barrier that binds to the surface. This barrier helps to reduce and repel mosquito activity, while also disrupting the cycle of breeding. As a result, we can help to reduce the mosquito population at your Virginia Beach home by up to 85 to 90% on a recurring basis.

For Reliable Mosquito, Pest Control in Virginia Beach, VA Near You

For help reducing mosquito activity around your Virginia Beach property, call Mosquito Squad of Hampton Roads at (757) 300-1839 or request a free quote online.