Living in Louisiana, you’re used to seeing mosquitoes cross your path. Yet this year, state and health officials are urging residents to be on guard due to the increased risk of infected mosquitoes. The West Nile virus is carried by mosquitoes and spread to humans when they are bitten.

There has been an increasing number of West Nile cases reported across the country, Louisiana included. Protecting your home and your family is the first step to preventing the West Nile virus, but the community must take an active role as well.

Working Together as a Community

The first step in working toward a solution for mosquito control is to see if there is already a group organized for your community; many neighborhoods already have a mosquito control plan in place. Here, residents can participate in the control efforts and make a difference in their community. These efforts include hiring a professional pest control company such as Dugas Pest Control and notifying local residents of what they should be doing to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes. When everyone is informed, neighbors can do their part to remove standing water while the community can schedule regular spraying from a professional company. When individual neighbors and the community come together, the best defense in preventing the spread of West Nile is formed.

Hiring a professional pest control company is helpful because they can target an area at large, identify potential breeding grounds and ensure that future infestations are avoided. It can also help to have a professional survey the area so that there is a neutral party instructing neighbors of what to do to avoid the spread of West Nile. After all, if one neighbor has a standing water in their backyard, the whole neighborhood will experience a mosquito infestation. Prevention is a community effort, and it requires everyone to work together for one solution. Notifying neighbors of what they can be doing in their own backyards – dumping out standing water, tightening screens on doors and windows and perhaps investing in a misting system – is an effective strategy for making sure that everyone is doing their part and has the correct information at hand.

Mosquito Control Beyond the Backyard

Pest control companies are also urging residents to protect themselves anytime they are outdoors, not just in their backyards. People are often diligent about protecting themselves near their own homes because that’s when they tend to be outdoors the longest, but it’s important to take the same precautions any time you head outside. Mosquitoes are everywhere – not just your backyard.

That is why health officials are stepping up, spraying parks, hiking trails and other public places in an effort to reduce mosquito infestations. Even though mosquitoes are a nationwide problem, working together is the most effective way to fight the heightened threat of West Nile.