:Courtesy image (https://www.flickr.com/photos/nightamazon/)If there is a bad side of summer, mosquitoes and ticks are probably its best representation.
In Massachusetts, most mosquito bites will only result in itching or skin irritation. But, some kinds of mosquitoes found in the Commonwealth may carry viruses like the West Nile and the Eastern Equine Encephalitis. Ticks, on the other hand, could transmit several diseases, the most unfamous been the Lyme disease.
Prevention
Mosquitoes can be found in urban, suburban, and rural areas; yet especially in moist and shadowy spaces where they can find protection from the sun, including your house. To protect you from its bites, you should follow these simple tasks:
1. Use insect repellents
2. Wear long-sleeved clothing
3. Schedule outdoor activities to avoid the hours around dawn and dusk during peak mosquito season
4. Repair damaged window and door screens
5. Remove standing water from the areas around your home
Ticks could also be found throughout the State, typically on the outdoors, in wooded or grassy areas; generally close to their hosts, including dogs, cats, rodents, birds, deer and unfortunately, humans. To prevent diseases spread by ticks, you should:
- Use bug repellents
- Stay on the main pathways when hiking
- Wear a light-colored, long-sleeved shirt with long pants
- Check for ticks in yourself, your children and pets once a day
- If you find a tick attached to your skin, use a pair of fine point tweezers to grip the tick as close to the surface as possible and pull right out with constant pressure.
- Write down the calendar date and where on the body the tick was removed. Save the tick for identification in case you need to go to a doctor.
- Talk to your doctor if you develop a rash where you were bitten or experience symptoms such as fever, headache, fatigue, or sore and aching muscles.
For more information, visit the Mosquito and Tick websites provided by the Massachusetts government.
