The Gift of No Mosquitoes

Are you looking for a unique gift for someone on your shopping list this Christmas season? Do you know someone who loves to spend quality time in their yard with family and friends?

Then contact Mosquito Squad today to take advantage of a specially priced gift certificate for Christmas 2012. For only $50, you can give the gift of a mosquito free yard.

Each certificate is good for one free barrier treatment, 1 acre or less. Our barrier treatments provides 21 days of the best protection against mosquitoes on the market.

For more information on who we are and what we do, please visit our Fight The Bugs site or preview one of our YouTube videos below.

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West Nile Virus

Close-up view of the Culex Tarsalis. Image taken from the University of Wyoming website. Click to enlargen

The Aberdeen American News reported this week that West Nile Virus has officially been found in mosquitoes from Brown County. Mosquito populations are routinely monitored by municipal agencies in the state. Species are identified and when the Culex Tarsalis is found – the breed known to carry West Nile Virus – those are sent in to be tested for the virus.

We now know for a fact that they are carrying West Nile Virus.

The Culex Tarsalis, pictured above, spends the early months of the season feeding primarily on birds – the source of the West Nile Virus. The more times the virus is passed from bird to mosquito and back again, the more the virus becomes “amplified.”

As the season wears on, the Culex Tarsalis begins to look for humans and even household animals to get their bloodmeal. They can be very aggressive, even finding their ways into structures find you.

It is also important to note that Culex Tasalis does not need a lot of moisture to thrive. In fact, during a dry period like we have been having, you have an ideal scenario for the amplification of West Nile with the mosquitoes and the birds all congregated around the same, scarce bodies of water.

July and August are the peak times of the year for the transmission of West Nile to humans. It is important that you remain vigilant of the threat posed by the culex tarsalis – their presence as human feeders will soon be increasing.

If you have any questions, or would like to know more about what you can do to control mosquitoes in your yard, call Mosquito Squad today at 605-725-5252.

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The 3 P’s of Season Protection

The barrier spray is the heart and soul of what we do at Mosquito Squad. Each barrier spray kills adult mosquitoes and ticks on contact, but it doesn’t stop there. It truly creates a “barrier” around your yard – for 21 days following the spray any incoming mosquitoes that attempt to take refuge in your foliage will be knocked dead.

The reduction in mosquitoes in your yard will be nothing short of dramatic.

Hatching cycles, however, can be difficult to predict and will occur throughout the season.  Waiting until mosquitoes have become a serious problem in your yard may mean having to lose ground in the battle for your backyard.

And while you may notice diminishing numbers of mosquitoes during August and September, it is important to note that the mosquitoes you see during that time frame have a much higher probability of carrying West Nile Virus. That’s very important in a place like Aberdeen, SD, which has the distinction of having the highest incidence of WNV per capita of any city in the nation.

Mosquito Squad's service is safe for your children, your pets, and your plants.

The best way to protect your outdoor living space regardless of when the mosquitoes decide to strike is by signing up in advance for a complete season of barrier sprays. It is best on three fronts: protection, priority and price.

So what exactly are the 3 P’s?

PROTECTION

We at Mosquito Squad will monitor the conditions and begin spraying for our season customers around mid-May – this is one of the primary benefits of the season package. Even if mosquitoes are not yet out in full force, you are truly creating a “barrier” around your outdoor living space. As soon as they begin to strike in large numbers, your property will have the protection in place to begin killing the vast majority of incoming mosquitoes.

When your neighbors are grumbling indoors, you’ll be enjoying the summer weather on your patio.

PRIORITY

Another major benefit of purchasing a season package is that it effectively makes you a priority customer. Our trained technicians will be out at least every 21 days to update your barrier spray, ensuring that you always have the highest level of protection against mosquitoes, ticks and other outdoor pests. You will always have top priority on our schedules.

We definitely value our single spray customers and will schedule them for a barrier spray as soon as possible after they call. There will be a period of time, however, between you recognizing the problem and Mosquito Squad’s arrival.

PRICE

The last major benefit to connecting with Mosquito Squad early is the cost savings. Locking in your season in advance can save you hundreds over the single spray price over the course of one summer.

Signing up for a full season of sprays ensures you the best value Mosquito Squad has to offer. Plus, we back every barrier spray with a 100% satisfaction, money-back guarantee.

The only thing you have to lose are the mosquitoes!

Give us a call today to discuss what Mosquito Squad can do for you. Then sit back, relax, and enjoy the holidays knowing that you will never lose your backyard to mosquitoes again.

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Get Ready

Here at Mosquito Squad, we’re preparing for the possibility of an early and fierce mosquito and tick season. A combination of factors has lead to the possibility of a perfect storm this summer – a storm of pesky and dangerous bugs.

But Dread Skeeter and the Mosquito Squad will be there to take back your yard!

The front page of today’s Aberdeen American News has a story that is becoming very common nationwide: mosquitoes, ticks and other bugs may be moving sooner and fiercer.

We’ve already had numerous inquiries from concerned pet owners who are used to sending their dogs out in the spring only to have them return covered in ticks. That’s in a typical year. This year, the tick numbers could be even higher.

The American News’ Jeff Bahr spoke with Michael Hildreth, a professor in the biology and microbiology department at South Dakota State University, who said the wet conditions following a typical winter is hard for ticks, who generally see their numbers decreased due to things like fungal disease.

The dry weather we’ve experienced will have been much easier for them to survive.

We’ll also be on the lookout for mosquitoes. The mild winters means these pesky disease-carriers have had a much easier time over-wintering, just like the ticks.

As Aberdeen parks superintendent Mark Hoven put it, “One good rain can generate a tone of mosquitoes.”

As this video from KARE 11, next door in Minnesota, ponds in the Twin Cities are already active with mosquito larvae, something not typically seen until April.

What silver-lining could possibly be in this cloud? Mosquito Squad!

Starting this summer, if the mosquitoes and ticks are becoming too much to handle, call Mosquito Squad at 725-5252 and will make your backyard safe and livable again for your family.

 

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Home Show 2012

Are you curious to learn more about Mosquito Squad and what we can do to make your summer safer and more enjoyable?

Then mark your calendars to attend the 11th Annual Aberdeen Home Builder’s Association Home Show on Saturday, March 31st and Sunday, April 1st. The event will be held at the Holum Expo Building at the Brown County Fairgrounds.

We’ll be there to answer all your questions and to get your spot reserved for a full season of protection from mosquitoes and ticks.

Hours will be from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm on Saturday and 11:00 am until 4:00 pm on Sunday.

To keep up to date on the latest news and events from Mosquito Squad, be sure to click on this link to LIKE our Facebook page!

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Classic Super Bowl Ad

With the Super Bowl coming up this weekend, we thought it would be fun to revisit a classic ad that offers an alternative method of mosquito abatement…

 

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Bill Gates Saves 150 Million Lives

Let’s do some math here…

Bill Gates recently announced he would be giving $750 million dollars to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Now this gift will certainly be used in many ways to help many people, but let’s say for a moment that it were all to go toward purchasing treated nets for children in sub-Saharan Africa to sleep under, protecting them from Malaria-carrying mosquitoes.

One net costs $10 and can cover two children. Gates’ gift of $750 million would purchase 75 million nets, thereby protecting 150 million children from a fatal disease.

This is an amazing gift and should be loudly applauded.

Follow this link if you would like to learn more about malaria and the work Mosquito Squad does with Malaria No More. Together we can Swat Malaria.

Text SWAT to 85944 to donate $10 to Malaria No More from your mobile phone.

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Protect Your Special Day

Have you been dreaming about an outdoor wedding or wedding reception, but simply didn’t dare because you knew that the mosquitoes would ruin your special day?

Well, worry no more – Mosquito Squad has you covered! With Mosquito Squad’s Special Event service, you can rest assured that your guests will remember the beautiful bride and ceremony, not the biting bugs.

We will be on hand on Sunday, February 19, when Hub City Radio hosts the 2012 Bridal Showcase from noon until 5:00 pm at the Best Western Ramkota Hotel.

Stop by, say hello and ask us how Dread Skeeter and the Mosquito Squad can protect your most memorable events.

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The Original Dread

Here is a very cool item that came down the pipe this afternoon. The good folks at Outdoor Living Brands came across the original pencil sketch of Dread Skeeter, created by Micahel Gelen at Inkwell Studios.

Tell us what you think about this piece of Mosquito Squad history.

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Always Serving You

We love our customers and believe in our service. Our goal will always be to protect your family from the dangers and nuisance of mosquitoes and ticks.

From Outdoor Living Brands, the corporate parent, to the Eastern South Dakota technician that will treat your home, our focus is always improving the lives of our customers and their families.

To control your mosquitoes and ticks in Eastern South Dakota, contact 605-725-5252.

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