You Say Tomato I Say Mosquito

Gathering tomatoes or other fruits of the garden might not sound like a dangerous occupation, but with terrorism running rampant these days, even a walk thru the garden can require pre-emptive measures. In fact if you left the screen door open for a minute or so and heard a whiny frequency accompanied by a slight tickle it may already be too late, if that slight tickle was the allergic reaction of your skin cells to the Culex, Aedes or Anopheles mosquito, one of the several species that prefer humans, and are capable of transmitting microbial organisms to living cells.

Every year two million people die of malaria, which is transmitted by the Anopheles mosquito, but most of those deaths occur in Africa. In the U.S. malaria is considered rare, but the West Nile Virus is on the move.

The West Nile Virus is two millionths of an inch wide, smaller than most viruses. Viruses occupy a special taxonomy position in that they are not plant, animal or prokaryotic bacteria, and should not even be considered organisms because they are not free-living. (They cannot reproduce with out a host cell.)

The West Nile Virus has been studied for decades but did not arrive in the US until 1999. It is most similarly assocciated with other viruses that cause encephalitis, (inflammation of the brain), and it is highly fatal to avian species, corvids, mostly non-migratory birds distinguished by same sex characteristics. The West Nile Virus is also fatal to horses although there is a two-dose vaccine available for horses. It is not known when a vaccine will be discovered for humans or birds, so the best method of dealing with the virus is through avoidance. The West Nile Virus is past on to its animal host through the saliva of the female mosquito at the time of injection. The female mosquito needs a blood meal to complete reproduction, and pass on proteins to her offspring. The male mosquito does not eat blood but lives only on nectar and fruit juices.

Avoiding mosquitoes can be a big problem if you're an outdoors person unless your companion is more susceptible to mosquito bites than you are. Some people attract more mosquitoes than others. (They must have a better bloodline.) Mosquitoes can lay their eggs in as little as one tablespoon of water which hatch and become adults in as little as seven to ten days. Finding all the water sources in which they can breed is next to impossible, but eliminating the obvious places will help. (Rain gutters, bird baths, flower pots etc.) In order to avoid mosquitoes it helps to know how they find you. They use sensors on their antenna to pick up body heat, odor and carbon-dioxide from exhaled breath to find their meal. That's why black-light traps do not really work well, (mosquitoes use thermal imaging, not ultra violet). The female mosquito will work her way upwind zigzagging back and forth to the sources of these bodily cues. As she gets closer she uses colors and moisture in the air to close in on her target. British researchers found that mosquitoes would respond to animal bodies up to forty-five feet away. Mosquitoes become inactive when temperatures drop below forty-five degrees F or above eighty-two degrees F or when wind speeds are higher than six meters per second.

Some repellents are very effective at binding the mosquito sensory antenna. Repellants composed of heavy irregular shaped molecules work best. They block the pores of the sensory hairs of the mosquito antenna forcefully changing the mosquitoes point of view, causing her to fly past a living target. Area repellants like candles and incense with citronella have been proven effective at averting mosquitoes and even a plain wax candle can work as a decoy to trick mosquitoes. One of the best and most familiar repellents is a chemical product called Deet, which was developed by the USDA and patented by the US Army in 1946 and then registered in 57 for use by the general public. It is a broad spectrum repellent targeting many different insect pests, however one thing that might not be so well known is that Deet should not be used in conjunction with any other insecticide containing Permethrin as it can cause severe cellular damage according to Duke Universities Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health.

One of the most interesting, and recent repellants I have discovered while researching this article is the use of a common perennial herb or weed called catnip. Researchers at Iowa State University and the US Forest Service released information in 2001 on the effectiveness of nepetalactone, an essential oil found in catnip that works 10 times more efficiently than Deet although they say nothing about its duration comparison. Iowa State had submitted a patent application for the use of catnip compounds for insect repellents and commercial products are already available to the general public, (although I do not know if that means that thorough testing on humans or animals were completed). Caveat Emptor. Obviously cats will be meowing all over the neighborhood once these products become popular. (Skeeter-free, Natures Herbal, Natural Herbal Shield are a few). Some companies may be cheating the law by not calling there products a "Repellant", so as to bypass FDA regulations.

You may want to try mixing your own concoction of catnip repellant. It's available at nurseries and in the wild if you know what it looks like. Catnip was introduced to the US from Europe in the late 18th Century, and has been used for seasoning and teas for years. It is thought to have many healing properties among them help for (inducing sleep, migraine headaches, fevers, sedative, fatigue, restlessness, pain killers, improving circulation and symptoms associated with the flu.) It is also high in vitamin C. Catnip was also called the "Hang-mans Root" and was used by early American colonial executioners to put them in the mood before an execution. In England it was used to flavor beer because it cost less than hops. Over the years their have been many other plant-derived repellants to combat insects such as lavender extract, cedar wood, neem oil, Rosemary, peppermint geranium, lemongrass and others.

As far as electronic devises sold to repel insects, be sure the experts who tested these devices were not on the companies payroll, or be careful of which expert you listen to. Some of these products do more damage than good. In May 2001 the FTC sent warning letters to 60 companies selling these devises, warning them not to make claims without scientific evidence. In August 2002, Lentek International was charged by the FTC, for making false claims that their electronic mosquito repelling devices, repel mosquitoes. (WWW .ft c.gov/opa/2002/08/lentek.htm)

One proven method that partially worked for my dad when I was growing up, was the nightly mosquito hunt. Each night before bedtime the five of us kids were assigned a rolled up newspaper and a room, and we could not go to bed until every mosquito in the house was extinguished. It worked 90% of the time and gave the walls and ceilings that natured texture look. The funny thing bout it was the other 10% of the time the mosquitoes only got dad.

Mosquitoes play an important role in the food chain, mostly in their larvae and pupae stages, transforming algae, bacteria and organic matter into meals for fish and other aquatic creatures and wading birds etc. and it would not be beneficial to eliminate all of them.

Last year out of 830 reported human infections, 27 were fatal. In November 2003 a bio Technology Company called Acambis started the first human clinical trial of a West Nile Virus vaccine. So far it has performed well in hamster, mice, monkeys and horses. Most cases of the disease occurs in the elderly and others with impaired immune systems, there have been cases of transmission through blood transfusions, and organ transplants. In most cases those who have West Nile Virus do not even know they have it. A few will develop flu like symptoms 4 to 10 days after the infection, and a rare few will develop encephalitis.

Copyright Jim Burnell 2005

Sources:

University of Ca. Publication 7451

Author: Bruce Eldridge, Dept. of Entomology, and UC Davis

Catnip as a Mosquito Repellent

Author: Jeffrey s. Hoard

National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy

Dept of Health and Human Services

Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Grow your own mosquito repellant

Author: Ann Lovejoy

Integrated Pest Management of Alaska

Iowa State University Extension Fact Sheet

Mosquito

Iowa State University

Joel Coats, Entomology

Brian Meyer, Agriculture Communications

Jim Burnell is a carpenter/cabinet maker and small business owner with a lifetime of varied hobbies from boat building to studying Zeno?s paradox. Currently he is studying the effects of catnip on mosquitoes and other insects, the testing and raising of certain beneficial insects in the garden and in captivity, and simplifying certain gardening procedures in transplanting and cloning. For links to his other articles, journals and ideas he can be reached at his website: http://www.spreadtheworld.blogspot.com

Mosquito Netting Canopy - Your Best Defense

When traveling or enjoying outdoor activities such as camping, there is the risk of being exposed to mosquito bites and the potential diseases that they carry. Wearing clothes that cover your entire body and applying insect repellent will decrease the risk of being stung, but the safest, simplest and most effective way to control mosquito bites is to use a mosquito netting canopy.

Guidelines

When purchasing a mosquito netting canopy, it is important to be well-informed. Mosquito netting can be made out of two types of material, polyester and cotton. Polyester is a good choice as it is lightweight and longer lasting than cotton. Cotton netting can be more comfortable, but it is less durable. Cotton is not water-resistant and can stretch if it gets wet; it also becomes heavier and tiresome to carry. However, for a long stay in a tropical area, cotton netting would be preferred due to its comfort level. Mosquito netting canopies, whether made of polyester or cotton, come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and thickness of thread.

Further Protection

To increase the efficiency of a mosquito netting canopy, and therefore maximize your protection against insect bites, it is recommended that the net be sprayed with a top-quality insecticide, such as permethrin. The effectiveness of a pre-treated canopy can last up to one year. It is possible to spray it yourself with an insecticide from the local hardware store, but a pre-treated canopy is always a safer choice. The standard amount of insecticide used is usually 350-500 milligrams per squared meter. The main advantage of a mosquito netting canopy sprayed with insect repellent is that if the netting becomes torn or damaged during travel, the repellent still offers some protection against pesky insects.

Are Mosquito Nets the Safest Alternative?

According to studies done by Clive Shiff, a prominent malaria expert at the John Hopkins School of Health, a mosquito netting canopy can play a major part in keeping travelers and campers safe from mosquito-borne diseases, such as malaria. Shiff was a major player in an experiment that provided mosquito netting to 20,000 families with children in Tanzania. All the participating children received anti-malarial drugs. The control group slept without any netting canopy protection, and the treatment group slept with a net canopy. At the end of the 6-month study, the results indicated that the primary symptom of malaria, which is anemia, was 50% less common in the treatment group than in the control group.

Other numerous field trials carried out in Kenya, Gambia, and Ghana showed that child deaths from malaria could be reduced considerably if a mosquito netting canopy was used during sleep and resting hours.

Unicef has put a plan into effect that will help provide mosquito netting canopies and indoor residual spraying to people living in malaria-prone areas. It is their hope that the number of cases of malaria infections will be reduced by 50% by the year 2010.

Karen Foster is the content manager and editor for Tiny Mosquito: Understanding the Mosquito. For more information about mosquitoes and the West Nile virus visit her site at http://www.tinymosquito.com

Fight Off Those Insects

Insect Repellent

You can minimize your exposure to insect bites by changing your patterns of activity or behaviour.

Some vector mosquitoes are most active in twilight periods at dawn and dusk or in the evening, so avoid outdoor activity during these periods.

Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and hats to minimize the areas of exposed skin. Shirts should be tucked in.

Use insect repellents. Repellents applied to clothing, shoes, tents, mosquito nets, and other gear will enhance protection.

Permethrin-containing repellents (Permanone) are recommended for use on clothing, shoes, bed nets, and camping gear. Permethrin is highly effective as an insecticide/acaricide (against ticks and mites) and as a repellent. Permethrin-treated clothing repels and kills ticks, mosquitoes, and other arthropods and retains this effect after repeated laundering. Such treated clothing is thought to pose little danger for poisoning to humans wearing it.

Repellents containing DEET (N,N-diethylmetatoluamide) as an active ingredient are recommended by most authorities. A common commercial repellent that contains this chemical is the brand name OFF. DEET repels mosquitoes, ticks, and other arthropods when applied to skin or clothing. Formulations containing less than 35% DEET are recommended because the additional gain in repellent effect with higher concentrations is not significant when weighed against the potential for toxicity, which include rare cases of encephalopathy (brain infection) in children.

There are a number of natural products will effectively repel mosquitoes, but they require more frequent reapplication (at least every 2 hours) and higher concentrations than DEET. Because of the differences between types of mosquitoes, products that contain multiple repellents tend to be more effective than those containing a single ingredient. As you can see, natural repellents tend to be volatile plant oils.

Citronella Oil

Lemon Eucalyptus Oil

Cinnamon Oil

Castor Oil

Rosemary Oil

Lemongrass Oil

Cedar Oil

Peppermint Oil

Clove Oil

Geranium Oil

Insect Bites Overview

Stings and bites from insects are common. They often result in redness and swelling in the injured area. Sometimes a sting can cause a life-threatening allergic reaction.

Arthropods are insects that live primarily on land and have 6 legs. They dominate the present-day land fauna. They represent about three-fourths of known animal life. In fact, the actual number of living species could range from 5-10 million. The orders that contain the greatest numbers of species are Coleoptera (beetles), Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), Hymenoptera (ants, bees, wasps), and Diptera (true flies).

Insect Bites Causes

Insects do not usually attack unless they are provoked. Most bites and stings are defensive. The insects sting to protect their hives or nests. A sting or bite injects venom composed of proteins and other substances that may trigger an allergic reaction in the victim. The sting also causes redness and swelling at the site of the sting. Bees, wasps, hornets, yellow jackets, and fire ants are members of the Hymenoptera family. Bites or stings from these species may cause serious reactions in people who are allergic to them. Death from bee stings is 3-4 times more common than death from snake bites (for more information, see stings of bees and wasps). Bees, wasps, and fire ants differ in how they inflict injury. When a bee stings, it loses the entire injection apparatus (stinger) and actually dies in the process. A wasp can inflict multiple stings because it does not lose its injection apparatus after it stings.

Fire ants inject their venom by using their mandibles (the biting parts of their jaw) and rotating their bodies. They may inject venom many times.

In contrast, bites from mosquitoes typically do not cause significant illnesses, unless they convey "vectors," or microorganisms that actually live within these mosquitoes. For instance, malaria is caused by an organism that spends part of its life cycle in a particular species of mosquitoes. West Nile virus is another disease spread by a mosquito.

Treatment depends on the type of reaction. If there is only redness and pain at the site of the bite, application of ice is adequate treatment. Clean the area with soap and water to remove contaminated particles left behind by some insects (such as mosquitoes). These particles may further contaminate the wound if not removed. Refrain from scratching because this may cause the skin to break down and an infection to form.

You may treat itching at the site of the bite with an over-the-counter antihistamine such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl) in cream or pill form. Calamine lotion also helps relieve the itching.

People who have a history of severe reactions to bites or stings may have been prescribed an anaphylaxis kit. The kit contains an epinephrine injector (you give yourself an injection), tourniquet, and an antihistamine. The kit should be used according to the doctor's instructions.

Obviously prevention is always better than cure so a good insect repellent is advisable.

On bites which are more minor then essential oils can bring some relief from the itching and pain.

For itching try a mixture of Chamomile German, Lavender and Melissa combined together in carrier oil or alternatively make a cold compress soaked in these essential oils and apply it to the swelling. For bites which are inflamed and sore then use Lavender and Myrrh combined together in carrier oil or alternatively make a cold compress soaked in these essential oils and apply it to the swelling.

For red, irritated and inflamed skin try a mixture if two or more from this list .. Benzoin, Clary Sage, Geranium, Lavender, Neroli, Patchouli, Peppermint, Rose combined together in carrier oil or alternatively make a cold compress soaked in these essential oils and apply it to the swelling.

http://www.thinkaromatherapy.co.uk