Safety around creepy crawlies

Simply be prepared and you should be safe from the not-so-monstrous creepies that crawl in the night.

One of the first things to be aware of is the threat of malaria from infected mosquito bites but adequate preparation through starting on a course of medication before, during and after travel should suffice

Mosquitoes – unfortunately many safari parks are in malaria areas. Malarone, antibiotic doxycycline, chloroquine and mefloquine are the four most common medications prescribed against malaria. Chatting to your doctor beforehand will ensure that you get the right medication for both your family and the area to where you are travelling. To be extra safe, bring along  mozzie-repellent shampoos, soaps, lotions and sprays, especially for the kids.

Mosquito bite treatment and natural repellants in addition to medication include Brewer’s Yeast and garlic (the mosquito doesn’t like the smell apparently!) and anti itch lotion with aloe ver

It is also a good idea to invest in a mosquito net to ensure a restful night’s sleep, free from pesky mosquito and other insect bites

Snakes – generally shy creatures, it is unlikely that you will encounter a snake in the built up areas of your safari camp. If you do meet with one, back away quickly and quietly. Bites are usually more painful than fatal, but seek medical attention from a camp medic immediately, just to be safe.

A good idea would be to wear leather boots that go up to the knee… very difficult for a snake to bite through if you stood on one accidentally and caused it to react

Creepies – most game lodges supply nets and window coverings to keep the crawlies at bay, but it is still a good idea to check your shoes before squishing a sleeping scorpion. When going for bush walks, wear long trousers, boots and hiking socks to prevent picking up any hitchhikers.

Ticks – these icky little creatures are an unfortunate side-effect of being in the bush. All conditions that develop from a tick bite are treatable, but it is important to remove the offending bug as soon as possible. Conflicting techniques exist on how to remove a tick, but it is generally considered ill-advised to yank it, suffocate it, or drown it as the head buries itself even further. Rather use tweezers, grasp it at the head, right against your skin and pull straight up to remove the tick in its entirety.

Have you ‘ticked’ that one off the list?

Safety on a game drive

It is very easy to think that just because you are in a Land Rover with a guide and a gun, you are completely safe. Most game drives are relatively risk-free, but only as long as you do your bit and follow the rules.

Listen to your guide – guides are experienced in animal behaviour and will always have a good reason for asking you to do, or not do, something. Asking you to keep quiet could be to prevent an already agitated animal from charging, or disappearing and ruining your photos. Anything as quiet as the click of a camera could set an animal off, so listen if your guide asks you to hold off on a picture.

Keep your hands to yourself – Game drives traverse some pretty wild terrain and you just never know when a branch or a particularly spiky bush could suddenly appear. Keeping your hands and arms inside the vehicle ensures that you don’t get any nasty scratches. This also means that you should you be lucky enough to get close to an animal, you shouldn’t lean out and touch it. Wild animals could react viciously and injure you. Remember, if these animals become too used to humans it will be to their detriment if they later have the confidence to approach a hunter, farmer or built up area.

Stay sitting – any sudden movement could scare an animal, ruining your picture or even prompting an attack. Animals are used to the shape and size of safari game drive vehicles and standing could alter this shape and cause panic.

Safety on a self-drive safari

Common sense should ensure your safety on a self-drive exploration of a game reserve as most of the same rules apply as when you are on the road.

Stay inside the car - You wouldn’t hang out a window while driving in the city? Well, don’t do it while on safari. Keep all your body parts inside the car and never, ever, ever get out the vehicle at any time. If you get a flat tyre, call for help or flag down another car to get help for you. Even though the coast may seem to be clear, bending to change a tyre leaves you vulnerable to attack.

Keep to the speed limits – There are speed limits in any game park – obey them for your safety and the animals.

Don’t feed the animals – You should also not throw rubbish out your windows. Any left over food will naturally attract animals and can have detrimental effects on the environment. Teaching animals to rely on humans for food can turn them into scavengers that can’t fend for themselves and introduces foreign substances into their environment which all contribute to a negative shift in the eco-system.

Don’t be tempted to rev or hoot or flash your lights in an attempt to try and get the animal to do something more interesting. More interesting could end up in your car being charged. If an animal shows any sign of getting agitated, slowly start your car and move off. These signs could include a prolonged stare-off, erratic ear movement, pacing or even a mock charge.

Safety on a game walk or at a lookout point

There are designated places where you can walk in a game reserve or get out your car, but follow these guidelines:

No swimming – it gets hot out there, but a quick dip is not the answer. No matter how inviting the water, it could hide crocs and hippos – and they don’t like to share their pools. The bilharzias parasite is also present in some rivers and can cause bleeding and ulceration of the intestine and bladder.

No feeding the animals – A change in feeding patterns could mean that some animals do not migrate as they would normally do at a certain time of year, adversely affecting food supplies. Different animals that are taught to scavenge can also fight over one food supply that they would not normally share, resulting in injuries and harmful inter-species interactions. Most importantly, wild animals have specialised diets and you have no idea what effect a chocolate bar could have on their bodies.

No touching – do not approach an animal, touch it or call it – the response will not be one that you anticipated.

Do not stray – stay on the path, in the designated watch area or with your guide. Besides getting lost, you may trample endangered plant species or contribute to erosion.

About the author: GoTravel24.com is South Africa’s leading travel website. With information covering every aspect of travel, from honeymoon tips to upcoming events and affordable packages, GoTravel24 is really your one-stop travel shop.

Article Source: ArticleSnatch Free Article Directory

A Kenya Safari Holiday .

You need to sleep under treated mosquito netting, and the doors and windows should be screened against mosquitos. If you are lucky enough to have a fan or even airconditioning then even better, but just remember malaria prophylaxis 

Masai Mara Safari

And, we had a steward who made up our room during the day, and then when we were on our evening safari, would fix up our tent for the evening. Close all the curtains, take our mosquito nets down, switch the day bedlinens 

Close encounters of the Creature Kind

Ah but our foray with biting insects had only just begun: in the Tanzanian post-rainy-season tropics we entered the land of the Mosquito. The nightly routine, consisted of returning to base before dusk to cover up and apply vast quantities of DEET to any exposed skin before going anywhere. … Instead of reducing my terror of catching the disease (we’d met someone on Safari who’d had it on Malarone, the extremely expensive new drug I was on for extra protection in Africa

USB Mosquito Stick Keeps You Malaria-Free On A Laptop Safari

Using an ultrasonic force field, this USB stick vows to protect you from mosquitoes during all those times when you find yourself using a laptop

Technorati Tags: bite, bites, Chloroquine, drugs, infected, malaria, Mefloquine, mosquito, mosquitoes, natural, net, prevention, repellant, safari, safety, scorpion, snake, ticks

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At best, these flying ‘leeches’ are infuriating, drive you insane looking for them as you are trying to get the children off to bed and leave unsightly blotches all over your skin. At worst they are one of the biggest killers of humans to ‘grace’ the planet. There is a whole slew of diseases that can be caused by a mosquito bites, including:

* Malaria * Yellow Fever * Encephalitis * Dengue Fever

All delightful stuff I am sure you agree!

Mosquito facts

Today we are going to learn a little about what makes these things ‘tick’. My youngest girl asked me to ‘Google’ them today actually (the poor little thing is a lure for Mozzies unfortunately.) And most importantly what can you do to defend yourself from these disgusting little vampires!

Mozzie Biology

Mosquitoes are insects that have been cursing animals and more recently, humans for more than 30 million years. And it seems that, our little friends have been very busy evolving and honing their skills of finding people to bite. Mosquitoes have an impressive aray of sensors designed to track their prey, including:

Chemical sensors -

Mosquitoes can sense carbon dioxide and lactic acid up to an unbelievable 36 metres (100 feet) away. Mammals and birds gives off these gases as part of their normal breathing. There are also certain chemicals in sweat that seem to attract mosquitoes (the lucky people who don’t sweat much don’t get nearly as many mosquito bites).

Visual sensors -

If you move around wearing clothing that contrasts with the background mosquitoes can see you, and and get a ‘target lock’ on you. Instinctually, anything moving is considered alive and therefore fair game to have it’s blood siphoned.

Heat sensors

Talk about overkill: Mosquitoes can also detect the heat warm-blooded mammals and birds give off very easily once they are in range.

With all these high-tech sensors these little ‘suckers’ (pun intended) sound more like something out of a Terminator movie and without protection we don’t really stand a chance.

Interestingly it is only the female mosquitoes that bite (what is is with females – I bet if we had a Father Nature instead things would be a lot different.) Not unlike human gold-diggers, the female lands on your skin and sticks her proboscis into you (the proboscis is very sharp and thin, so you may not feel it going in). Her saliva contains proteins (anticoagulants) that prevent your blood from clotting.

I bet you didn’t know this – Mosquitoes can actually explode!

Obviously if you notice her and try to squish her, she will fly away. Otherwise, she will remain until she has a full tummy – she has yet another sensor telling her when she is full and it is time to detach. I once had one land on me and when it was sucking away merrily I carefully pinched my skin tightly to her proboscis so that she couldn’t escape. While it left a nasty welt, I had a last laugh as she filled with blood and exploded

After she has bitten you, some saliva remains in the wound. The proteins from the saliva evoke an immune response from your body with the symptoms of the area swelling an being as itchy as h***. The swelling tends to subside quite quickly, but the itchiness will remain until your immune cells break down the proteins in the saliva.

HIV ‘Old Wives Tales’ Exposed

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) that causes AIDS cannot survive inside a mosquito, and therefore thankfully cannot be transmitted from one person to another through mosquito bites.

How to Stop Getting Bitten By Mosquitoes

You can do a few things to reduce the number of mosquito bites that you get while enjoying the outdoors. First, wear clothing that covers most of your body, if temperatures permit – in saying that though I have been bitten through jeans before so nothing is fool-proof here.

Use Mosquito Repellent.

>  Natural mosquito repellant

You can go the route of using the ‘ol Japanese standby – the Katori Senko. You can find these bad boys in almost every drugstore in the land. They are green swirly incense sticks that contains some type of plant- based repellent that purports to keep mosquitoes (and any worthy suitors) at bay. While these might be effective for household use, I like to know what my kids and I are breathing and they are no help once you are outside.

When my girls and I are outside rather than spray ourselves with toxins that eventually work their way to building up in our internal organs I prefer more natural alternatives:

If you are interested in getting the best natural bug repellents, and natural supplement delivered right to your door while saving up to 70% on retail prices I urge you to run to iherb.Com and if you enter this code HAY138 you will get $5 off your first order (on top of the impressive discounts!)

>  Natural mosquito repellant

I have been ordering supplements from iherb.Com for over 5 years now from 3 different countries and I can tell you that their customer service is top notch, their prices unheard of, and shipping is quick and cheap. If you could even find these products in Japan you would likely pay well over full price, fork out money to get the train or fight traffic to get to the store. But with iherb.Com your stuff is only a few clicks and a few days away no matter where you live in Japan or the world.

P.S The best shipping option for Japan is to choose Yamato – they are the ones with the Black Cat on the side of their truck.

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Author Haydn Stevenson provides you with Free Tips for a more stress-free, funand enriching life in Japan (including the secrets of how he creates income on 100% ‘auto-pilot’ while being a full-time solo dad.) For those starting out living in Japan or are just plain ‘curious’ http://japanfordummies.com shows you this wonderful country through the eyes of an ‘outsider’ who has bumped up against the Good, the Bad and Ugly.. and lived to tell the tale

Technorati Tags: bite, bites, facts, insects, mosquito, natural, remedies, remedy, repellant, treatment

But did you know that in the whole scheme of things the mosquito plays quite an important role.

This is what Outdoor Skills Expert, Tamarack Song has to say.

Song of the Mosquito: How to Live in Balance With This Honored Guardian of the Wild Places

No other animal in the Wilderness is more joked about, cursed or feared than Mosquito.  After all, she is known to spread disease, suck veins dry and drive otherwise sound people to delirium.  Yet there is another side …

A couple years ago a reporter from a big city newspaper called me to get some information for an article on Mosquito control and mosquito bite prevention.  He also interviewed an academic bug expert, whose quote, “I wouldn’t go (Tamarack’s) route,” ended the reporter’s resulting article.

Why are there such entrenched camps around how to relate with this fragile, weak-winged being we call Mosquito?  And what might we do to honor her as a fellow creature and occupy the same space as her?  Before we explore those questions let us find out just who this notorious and embattled six-legged is.

To many of us who live both in town and in the farther places, she is a nuisance; to city governments she is another pest and disease carrier to target with a vigorous “control” program.  Humorous postcards in just about every vacation region claim that she is the state bird.  To the manufacturers of Cutters and Off she’s the greatest thing since cockroaches.  To many wilderness trekkers she’s a spoiler who clouds the sun and rivets the skin by day, then by night relentlessly drones her nauseating whine at maddeningly close quarters.  To Native People she is honored sister and animal guide who heralds the coming of the Green Season.  She is a guardian of the farther places, helping assure that their beauties and mysteries be preserved for those who Walk in Balance.

But why Mosquitoes? Why not something more cute, or at least less hurtful?  Many of us who state that we love nature are referring to the noble, the inspiring, the photogenic.  Usually not Mosquitoes.  We have a cultural aversion to insects in general, and biting insects in particular.  Yet insects are the most numerous, varied — and some say the most beautiful — of animals.  Mosquitoes themselves are often resplendent looking; many have iridescent wings and some have other frills such as red-striped legs.

Let us again turn to Native wisdom for another perspective:  In the Hoop of Life all is sacred;  Mosquito is as well a child of  The Mother, thus no more or less important than are we.  Mosquito is as vital and noble and beautiful as Hawk or Grandfather Pine, so she is accorded the same respect and admiration.

She plays an important role in the food chain; her often abundant larvae are food to fish and invertebrates, and she is fare for Birds, Bats, and Dragonflies.

Still, when we are harangued by these pesky little blood siphons we can well find it hard not to develop an attitude and start swatting and spraying.  They can keep us indoors and put a damper on otherwise enjoyable outdoor activities.  So what do we do, especially those of us who wish to live more respectfully and responsibly?

We may try one of the naturally-based repellents which have come on the market in recent years; they may be citronella or citrus oil based.

Megadoses of vitamin B-1 appear to work for some; others favor garlic capsules.  The most curious repellents I have come across are Avon’s Skin-so-Soft and Bounce Fabric Softeners pinned to clothing.  None of the above, however, are near as effective as Cutters or Deep Woods Off.

Yet there is a natural approach as effective as those chemical stews, but it is so little known and hard to bottle that it can’t be bought.  It’s one we live.

The clues to that Balance lie in knowing Mosquito.  She is a fragile creature, a weak flyer sensitive to dryness and paranoid of tight places and anything oily.  She is much like us in the ways she is drawn to food–color, appearance, smell.  She can smell the carbon dioxide in our breath and the carbon dioxide and lactic acid that emanate from our skin;  she can see our silhouette, movements and the color of our clothing and can sense our body heat.

Some of us ring our dinner bell louder than others because we have a mouth watering combination of the above signals.  The key to DEET-free outdoor living is to eliminate or disguise as many of those signals as possible and to confound Mosquito over the rest.  The following list contains some suggestions which have overlapping effect; select a combination which best fits your person and situation.  They work synergistically; several together can be as effective as a synthetic deterrent.

Mosquito Bite Prevention:

Location

• Stay in the breeze. Mosquito can fly only eight m.p.h., so it doesn’t take much to waft her away.

• Create a breeze. A 50 yard dash will leave the swarm lost and confused.  Repeat as necessary.

• Choose a high sunny location.  Mosquito dehydrates easily, so seeks shade and low areas where the humidity is higher.  If all else fails, climb a tree or perch atop a rock.

Clothing

•   Wear long, loose-fitting garb to keep Mosquito from biting through to skin. Earth hues disguise us in the Woods; green is best, brown rates second. White masks your silhouette in       the open.  Blue is worst; Mosquito mistakes it for a flowering plant from which she draws sustaining juices. Red flags her in also, as well as other insects.  (Below-waist colors aren’t as       critical; Mosquito will bite regardless.)

•   Air out outdoor clothing so that it does not harbor attractive odors.

•   Drape a Fern frond, long hair or something similar over head and face. Mosquito doesn’t like close overhead shadows or feeling boxed in while feeding.

Movement

•   Go slowly, remain calm.  The more we sweat, breathe and agitate, the more Mosquitoes we will attract and from a farther distance.

•   Walk first in line.  The cumulative draw of a group of people is felt more the farther back in  line one is.

Diet

•   Eat raw garlic.  The essence laces breath and exudes from skin pores, masking your lunch call.

•   Eat foods and drink aromatic teas indigenous to your area..  You’ll then smell like  you belong.  (I learned this from the local Natives, who did it to camouflage for the hunt.)

•   Avoid stimulants and sugar.  They rev up the metabolism, which sends out louder invitations.

Skin Slatherings

•   Oil your skin.  Mosquitoes are obsessive about keeping their wings grease-free.

•   Apply an aromatic oil such as Cedar (or other conifer) or crushed orange peel, onion or garlic.  Give special attention to the warmest, leanest parts of your body — neck, armpits, ears, wrists — wherever blood vessels are close to the surface.

•   Teas of the above will work also, but lose effectiveness when they dry.  Sweat keeps them active.

•   Smoke skin, hair and clothing.  Make a small smudge fire (see box), hold clothing over smoke and work into hair.

•    Avoid scented personal care products and laundry detergents.  They are seductive perfume to Mosquito when activated by body heat.

Time

•   Choose midday or after dark to be out.  Mosquitoes are most active at dawn and dusk.

•   Choose a cool over a hot day, a sunny over a cloudy day, a low-humidity over a high-humidity day.

For Your Camp

•   Welcome Dragonflies and foster ponds — their breeding ground.  They can consume their weight in Mosquitoes in a half hour, they’ll fly miles for the meal, and they can spot the buggers 50 feet away. Immature Mosquitos, called wrigglers, are water dwellers and the favorite food of Dragonfly larvae–also water dwellers. Old favorites like Bats and Purple Martins include an average of only a couple percent Mosquitoes in their diets.

•   Keep a section of yard open to sun and breeze.

When On the Trail

•   Follow the guidelines under Location in choosing your campsite.

•   Make a smudge fire to create a dense, cool, low-hanging smoke (see box).  When smoke hangs around, the Mosquitoes don’t.

•   Sit tight.  If the Mosquito population is light to moderate, those in your immediate vicinity will soon satiate themselves (or get massacred — your choice) and you’ll be left with just the occasional drifter to feed.

•   Brush them off. Our most common Mosquitoes take several seconds after landing to bite, so keepin’ them hoppin’ with a periodic sweep can be a temporary fix.

First Aid

A Mosquito bite itches and swells as the result of an allergic reaction to the anticoagulant in her saliva.  The most effective treatment I’ve found is to alternately compress and release the bite to cause the toxin to disperse.  This works for the bites of most other insects as well.

Dehydration may magnify bite reaction; be sure to hydrate well before hitting the  trail and also carry along adequate drinking water.

Perhaps the fact that I’m still alive and sane after years of outdoor living (without commercial repellant) in Skeeter Country is some testament to the fact that this mosquito bite prevention approach does work.  And yet I like a few Mosquitoes around; they help me to slow down and they bring me teachings that touch many areas of my life.  I am proud and honored to live in their domain and call them sister.

Tamarack Song has been a student and teacher of the traditional outdoor skills his whole life. He is an author and director of the celebrated Teaching Drum Outdoor School. We thank him for sharing his wisdom on mosquito bite prevention
by Tamarack Song

First published on Teaching Drum Outdoor School’s site.

Role Of Lemon In Treating Insect Bites

Summer is the time when people prefer to go for a retreat to cooler destinations. Clear skies and still weather conditions make it the ideal time.

Treatments For Mosquito Bite. What You Can Use At Home?

You can make ice wraps and apply them on the bites. This is one of the most effective mosquito bites treatment you can safely use at home. It helps bring down the swelling on affected skin. This eases irritation and the pain too.

Treatments For Kinds Of Insect Bites

A mosquito bite usually results in redness and minor local swelling around the mosquito bite site. Itching is also very common and tends to last longer than the swelling, which subsides after a few hours. 

Mosquito Bites and Remedies

Treating Mosquito Bites. Defense is the best from of treatment here. Take adequate precautions to ensure that you are not bitten by a mosquito. But if you have been bitten, then here are some home remedies that you can use

Aromatherapy Oil for Insect Bite Relief  Aromatherapy Massage

Essential Oil for Insect Bite Treatment. Though there are several remedies that can be used for relieving the itch and discomfort of a mosquito bite, essential oils work well too. In fact you can get instant relief from all the itching.

Technorati Tags: bite, bites, biting, insect, insects, mosquito, mosquitoes, natural, prevent, prevention, remedies, repellant, treatment

Do you have any bushcraft skills? If you were to become lost in the wild do you have the skills necessary to erect a shelter, start a fire, locate some water and find some nutritious food? And would you know what is safe to eat? Would you know how to stop insect bites?

      >>   Find a natural mosquito bite prevention alternative here 

Living in our modern, convenience food world we have all lost touch with the sources of our food. Today, children grow up in cities and many have no idea where their food comes from. I once taught a young guy who didn’t know that burgers were made from beef. I don’t know what he thought they were made out of.

If you are lost in the wild, without bushcraft skills you might be surprised to find that there are no all night supermarkets. You really need to be able to identify what is safe to eat and what is potentially harmful. If you have ever seen Bear Grylls surviving in various inhospitable parts of the world he always catches and eats whatever he can find. Something you may have noticed is that Bear is never without his bushcraft knife, an essential survival tool.

Wild berries could be a valuable form of food and nutrition. Our ancestors would have gathered nuts, berries and grain when in season and either eaten these raw or prepared them in some way. But some berries can be deadly poisonous.

Yew berries are very poisonous causing many poisonings every year. They are bright scarlet in color, about 8 to 10mm in diameter with an indentation at the base. The berries look deceptively appetising leading many young children to eat then.

Deadly Nightshade is another berry that results in many visits to the emergency room each year. The clue is in the name, not in the appearance. This plant is also commonly known as Belladonna, producing sweet berries that can be irresistibly attractive to young children.

Insects can be a valuable source of energy, but many find the thought of eating them distasteful. Most insects are actually edible, but some taste better than others. Many species are actually very low in fat and high in protein.Crickets, grasshoppers, mealworms and wood grubs are all a safe bet. You will find that most insects taste better when barbecued and you can even grind them up to make an insect flour.

To stop them biting you can eat things rich in vitamin B, use lemon juice on your skin and clothes and use smoke as a natural insect screen. There are several types of plants that naturally repel mosquitoes so if they are around you can make use of them. Some of these are horsemint, marigolds, catnip and rosemary. You can also use lemon eucalyptus oil as a mosquito repellent.

Birds, rabbits and other small animals are all generally good to eat, but not so easy to catch. This is particularly true if you find yourself lost without a weapon. In these circumstances some form of trap will possibly provide the best chance of catching an animal.

You may be thinking that this will never happen to you and you will never be forced to eat grasshoppers for dinner. But this really could happen to you. All you have to do is stray from the main path through a forest, as I once did, and before you know it you are disoriented and lost. That’s when you’ll wish you’d paid more attention to Ray Mears Extreme Survival.

Technorati Tags: bite, bites, control, mosquito, mosquitoes, natural, naturally, prevent, prevention, repel, repellant

So if you live in that area it is wise to take adequate precautions …

The Beaufort County Health Department is urging people to take additional precautions to prevent mosquito bites after a sentinel chicken tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis and two horses had to be euthanized because of EEE.

Spraying to help control mosquito populations is continuing across the county. Areas are being prioritized by locations that are seeing the greatest activity.

EEE is a rare disease. The viral illness, transmitted by some species of mosquitoes, attacks the central nervous system, causes inflammation of the brain and can be fatal to animals and humans. Wild birds serve as reservoirs for the virus. Mosquitoes bite the birds and then can transmit the virus to humans and animals.

North Carolina averages about one human case of EEE and about 10 equine cases each year. About fifty percent of human EEE cases are fatal, with young children and the elderly most at risk.

Symptoms include rapid onset of fever and headache and can resemble a case of the flu. Survivors of EEE infections may suffer from long-term effects to the nervous system.

The health department says the best defense for people against EEE infection is to avoid mosquito bites. Reduce time spent outdoors, particularly in early morning and early evening hours when mosquitoes are most active; wear light-colored long pants and long-sleeved shirts; and apply mosquito repellent.

Source:  http://www.witn.com/home/headlines/51626842.html

Eastern Equine Encephalitis found in Norfolk mosquito pool

NORFOLK The city’s public health department reported today the first Norfolk mosquito pool this season to test positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis. Officials also said they plan to conduct fogging operations

E E E reported in Baldwin County chicken

Eastern equine encephalitis, West Nile virus and other mosquito-borne viruses are transmitted from bird to mosquito to bird. Occasionally, when bird hosts are scarce, the same mosquitoes will take blood from mammals, including humans 

Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus

A viral infection that is transmitted to humans, horses, other domestic animals (including dogs and pigs), and wild birds through the bite of an infected mosquito.

Technorati Tags: bite, bites, disease, diseases, eastern equine encephalitis, mosquito, mosquito borne, prevention

Mosquitoes and disease

Though mosquitoes have been associated with disease and are considered to be undesirable pests, they have several surprising and interesting things about them.

Read on to know some facts about mosquitoes.

Mosquitoes are a disease causing insect species belonging to the family Culicidae.

They have a negative image and are referred to as pests. Given below are some facts about them.

Facts about Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes have existed since 100 million years. There exist 3000 different species of mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are quite adept at adapting to different climates. They are found all over the world including very cold locations like the Arctic.

Only the  female mosquitoes bite. Their eggs require the protein found in human blood. A female mosquito may probe a human being’s skin as many as 20 times before drawing blood. The male mosquito is differentiated from the female one by the plumose or feather-like appearance of the antenna and palp (sensory organ). The high-pitched sound female mosquitoes make is created by their wing beats and helps the males find them..

Most mosquitoes live near 1 mile of their breeding ground, though some may live up to 20 miles away. Mosquitoes are cold-blooded creatures and are most active at 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The male mosquito’s life is between 10 and 20 days long, whereas the female mosquito’s is between 3 and 100 days. A mosquito weighs 1/25000 of an ounce.

Mosquitoes are more attracted toward dark colors than light colors. Mosquitoes use smell to hunt and are particularly attracted by carbon dioxide.

Mosquitoes cause diseases like yellow fever, dengue, filariasis and encephalitis. More than 100 people can be infected by a single mosquito carrying the malaria virus. Mosquitoes kill more people than any other insect.

Most mosquito species live on fruit juices and nectar and only a very few feed on humans. Some mosquitoes feed on other mosquitoes. An interesting fact is that some mosquitoes prefer frogs.

The life stages of a mosquito are egg, pupae, larvae and adult; all of which, except the last stage, take place in water. Stagnant water like ponds and lakes is preferred by most mosquitoes to lay eggs.

A surprising fact is that the eggs of a mosquito can survive for more than five years. A female mosquito is capable of laying up to 200 eggs at one time. A mosquito develops from egg to adult within 4 to 7 days. Mosquitoes prefer places with less light like trees and areas of dense vegetation.

Mosquitoes have poor eyesight. They can identify their prey by an infrared view of its body temperature. Mosquito bites cause itching. Like many birds, mosquitoes are also pollinators.

You can take the following steps to reduce the population of mosquitoes :

• Get rid of stagnant water in your garden or drums, bottles, tin cans etc.
• Cover all water containers.
• The water bowl of your pet can be a source of mosquito breeding; so empty it on a daily basis.
• Make sure water does not accumulate in the ground around your house.
• Regularly use DDT or other pesticide to kill mosquitoes.
• You can fill your fish tank with mosquito-eating fish.
• Cut the grass and shrubs short in the garden to avoid giving mosquitoes a place to inhabit.
• Keep unused swimming pools drained or covered.
• Drain all swamps in your neighborhood.

By Prabhakar Pillai

The Enemy Of The Little Biting Beasts

This patented mosquito trap provides 24-hour protection against biting insects and that too, without any odor or noise. Check out the Mosquito Magnet 3100 MM Mosquito Trap in online retailer sites today

Mosquito Noise

The commonly called “mosquito” noise was originally designed by the Swedish government to keep people like teenagers away from public venues like supermarkets and other stores.

Mosquito Bite Causes Itching, Swelling Red Skin Bumps

Standing water and warm weather creates an ideal environment for mosquitoes. This pest’s bite causes itching, swelling red skin bumps that can drive you crazy.

Mosquitoes And Bite Prevention

Travelers need to use all of their savvy to prevent bites and stay healthy on their trip. The first line in mosquito bite prevention is clothing. Lighter colors are advised and long sleeves and pants act as a barrier to the attacking .

Cheap Off Mosquito Lantern PowerPad Kit Just A Simple Solution

The off hanging mosquito lantern also provides mosquito protection for an area up to 15 ft. x 15 ft. Each candle and pad lasts up to four hours. Refills are also available for both the off Mosquito lamp and hanging mosquito lantern. 

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Insect bites mostly look like little red bumps on your skin that are often itchy. They are the result of an injection of a foreign substance into your skin. The introduction of this foreign substance may trigger an allergic reaction, depending on the sensitivity of the person to that substance.

This foreign substance can come from either a venomous or a non-venomous insect. A venomous insect bites or attacks the person as a defense mechanism, injecting toxic venom into the person’s skin to keep him away. Insects such as bees, hornets, and fire ants are classified as venomous insects. Non-venomous insects, on the other hand, feed themselves by injecting anti-coagulant saliva into your skin. These insects are mosquitoes, ticks, biting flies, and some spiders.

The most common effect when the skin gets irritated from an insect bite is itching. This can be treated with any Benadryl lotion. It helps lessen the swelling and eventually reduces irritation. Another effect is stinging, which can be remedied just by placing a cold wet towel on the affected area of the skin. Others may have a serious allergic reaction to an insect bite.

Treating Insect Bites
The treatment of an insect or bug bite can be crucial to your health. If you do not properly treat your insect bites then they could become a bigger issue then you ever imagined. Here are some great tips on treating insect bites:
Pinpoint the location of the bite or sting.
If you have been stung, try your best to remove the stinger.
Use a warm wash rag with soap and water to lather the area and clean the wound.
Use a topical cream or ointment to apply on the irritated area.
Seek medical attention if the bite or sting seems to not get any better.
Understand how you got the bite or sting and pinpoint the type of insect that bit you.
Rest and relax. Do not panic.

First Aid
The signs and symptoms of insect bites and stings are as follows:
1.The stings of bees and the bites of mosquitoes, ticks, fleas and bedbugs usually cause only local irritation and pain in the region strung or bitten.
2.Moderate swelling and redness may occur; and some itching, burning, and pain may be present.
The first aid for insect bites and stings are as follows:
1.The sting area should be inspected to determine whether the stinger is still left in the body. If it is, remove it in order to prevent further injection of toxin. The stinger should be carefully scraped off the skin, rather than grasped with tweezers, so as not to squeeze toxin into the body.
2.Application of ice or ice water to the bite helps to slow absorption of toxin into the blood stream. A paste of baking soda and water can also be applied to the bite.
3.The victim should be observed for signs of any allergic reaction. For people who are allergic, maintain an open airway and get the victim to medical help as quickly as possible.

By: “Rich jammes”  Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Read About Breast Enlargement And Also Read About Breast Enlargement cream And Instant Breast Firmness

Here are some more reading sources about treatments for mosquito bites:

First Aid Treatment for Insect Bites, Identifying Bites Blister
Sooner or later, every child gets bitten by a mosquito or stung by a bee or wasp, or, occasionally, bitten by a flea, tick, spider, or chigger.
Insect Bites and Stings and Spider Bites – Home Treatment
Blood sucking insects, such as mosquitoes, inflict tiny puncture wounds when they bite, while the stings from bees and wasps contain venom.

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Mosquitoes are a disease causing insect species belonging to the family Culicidae. They have a negative image and are referred to as pests. Given below are some facts about them.

Facts about Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes have existed since 100 million years. There exist 3000 different species of mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are quite adept at adapting to different climates. They are found all over the world including very cold locations like the Arctic.

Only the female mosquitoes bite. Their eggs require the protein found in human blood. A female mosquito may probe a human being’s skin as many as 20 times before drawing blood. The male mosquito is differentiated from the female one by the plumose or feather-like appearance of the antenna and palp (sensory organ). The high-pitched sound female mosquitoes make is created by their wing beats and helps the males find them..

Most mosquitoes live near 1 mile of their breeding ground, though some may live up to 20 miles away. Mosquitoes are cold-blooded creatures and are most active at 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The male mosquito’s life is between 10 and 20 days long, whereas the female mosquito’s is between 3 and 100 days. A mosquito weighs 1/25000 of an ounce.

Mosquitoes are more attracted toward dark colors than light colors. Mosquitoes use smell to hunt and are particularly attracted by carbon dioxide.

Mosquitoes cause diseases like yellow fever, dengue, filariasis and encephalitis. More than 100 people can be infected by a single mosquito carrying the malaria virus. Mosquitoes kill more people than any other insect.

Most mosquito species live on fruit juices and nectar and only a very few feed on humans. Some mosquitoes feed on other mosquitoes. An interesting fact is that some mosquitoes prefer frogs.

The life stages of a mosquito are egg, pupae, larvae and adult; all of which, except the last stage, take place in water. Stagnant water like ponds and lakes is preferred by most mosquitoes to lay eggs. A surprising fact is that the eggs of a mosquito can survive for more than five years. A female mosquito is capable of laying up to 200 eggs at one time. A mosquito develops from egg to adult within 4 to 7 days. Mosquitoes prefer places with less light like trees and areas of dense vegetation.

Mosquitoes have poor eyesight. They can identify their prey by an infrared view of its body temperature. Mosquito bites cause itching. Like many birds, mosquitoes are also pollinators.

You can take the following steps to reduce the population of mosquitoes:

• Get rid of stagnant water in your garden or drums, bottles, tin cans etc.
• Cover all water containers.
• The water bowl of your pet can be a source of mosquito breeding; so empty it on a daily basis.
• Make sure water does not accumulate in the ground around your house.
• Regularly use DDT or other pesticide to kill mosquitoes.
• You can fill your fish tank with mosquito-eating fish.
• Cut the grass and shrubs short in the garden to avoid giving mosquitoes a place to inhabit.
• Keep unused swimming pools drained or covered.
• Drain all swamps in your neighborhood

  

More interesting facts on mosquitoes you may want to check out!

Ovidel’s Blog » Blog Archive » 320 useless facts

Only female mosquitoes bite. 283. The U.S. Post Office handles 43 percent of the world’s mail. 284. Most household dust is made of dead skin cells. 285. One in about eight million people has progeria, a disease that causes people to

Info Bucket: Mosquitoes Create Harmonic Love Song Before Mating …

To study mosquito mating calls, the researchers tethered mosquitoes and flew them past each other while recording the flight tones with a special microphone. Co-first author Benjamin Arthur, a postdoctoral researcher in Hoy’s laboratory

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