Ticks
This year, a couple conditions aligned to create a renaissance for everyone’s least-favorite hitchhiker. Changing climate conditions have made winter less severe. The mild weather has made larger areas of the US accessible, allowing for widespread migration--including migration into Ohio. Second, the white-footed mouse population has exploded. White-footed mice are one of tick’s favored prey. Once they latch on, the mice carry them around like a furry taxi service. Ticks transmit diseases, including the infamous Lyme disease and the Powassan virus. Ticks hunt atop high vegetation, where they can look for prey to cling to. Wear long clothing and apply tick repellent when outside. Stick to well-maintained walking paths, especially when walking in the woods. It takes about 24 hours for an attached tick to transmit diseases, so check for tick bites as soon as you get in and remove attached ticks immediately.
Mosquitoes
As you probably remember from the endless, itchy nights of your childhood, summer is prime mosquito season. Hot, humid summers attract the dastardly little suckers like nothing else. The early seasonal rainfall of spring leaves behind a lot of the standing water mosquitoes breed and lay eggs around. The earlier the rains start, the more mosquitoes will be around to make our lives difficult in the summer. Unfortunately, mosquitoes can transmit diseases via their bites. State officials reported 17 cases of mosquito-transmitted West Nile Virus last year. There haven’t been any cases of mosquito-borne Zika virus reported in Ohio yet, but mosquitoes do carry it. Eliminating sources of standing water is the best way to prevent mosquito infestation. Look for leaks, flooding, or puddling and dry them out. Wear repellant and long clothes when you go out, and make sure your window screens can keep bugs out, especially at night.
Wasps and Bees
Queen wasps and bees emerge when the air temperature stays above freezing consistently. In spring, queens have one mission: building a colony. The queen starts a simple nest and lays her pre-fertilized eggs to produce workers. While the new workers continue to build, the queen hatches more and more eggs. The earlier this process starts, the more developed a bee or wasp colony will be by the time summer rolls around. Wasps and bees build nests where they can get food. Bees feed on flower nectar, while wasps will eat nearly anything. Store all food products in plastic containers or tightly wrapped plastic bags, especially if you’re planning to eat outside. Clean up after every meal, and don’t leave dishes in the sink. If you spot a nest, don’t attempt to take it down yourself. Not only is it dangerous, but honey bees are vitally important to the environment as pollinators. Our experts can safely trap and relocate bees instead of killing them. They’ll stop bothering you, and they’ll be able to continue performing their important function!
