Bird Season
It’s that time of year again: bird season. No, not the bird season where you can shoot your limit and grill your day’s birds wrapped in bacon. No, I’m talking about South Carolina’s other state bird, the mosquito.
Mosquitoes are very common in our great state and can make summer activities like barbequing and patio gatherings completely unbearable. They are practically a part of life in the South and we all just have to deal with them. However, there are ways of taking back your backyard and enjoying the summer mosquito free.
W. P. Law, Inc. offers a few different options when dealing with mosquitoes. Bifen I/T is a sprayable broad spectrum insecticide that is very good at controlling many insects, including mosquitoes. Simply add the recommended amount of Bifen I/T per gallon (as stated in the label) in a pump sprayer and mix thoroughly. Spray in all the places mosquitoes like to hide: in all your shrub beds, any thick brush close to your house or porch, under decks, etc. While you’re spraying for mosquitoes, go ahead and spray along the foundation of your house, along eaves, in the crawlspace, even in the garage to control spiders, roaches, whiteflies, thrips, fire ants, and most other crawling insects. Bifen I/T will not stain brick, wood, vinyl, concrete, or sheetrock. Make sure to spray when you know there will be no rain for at least 24 hours (if you get an afternoon shower, you may need to reapply). Also, be careful not to spray in any bodies of water: i.e. goldfish ponds, creeks, rivers, lakes, or drains leading to any of these. Bifen I/T will not harm pets or children. The addition of a spreader sticker will aid in helping the Bifen I/T stick to what you are spraying and aid in rain fastness.
Another product W. P. Law, Inc. carries is called Cyzmic. Cyzmic is also a broad spectrum insecticide that controls mosquitoes, roaches, ants, spiders, whiteflies, thrips, etc. Cyzmic is unique in that it is a microencapsulated formula, which means the usage rates are much lower, and it is slow-release so it stays active much longer. Another benefit of the microencapsulation is that it is much easier for flying insects, like mosquitoes, to pick it up, even with their light “footprint”. Application of Cyzmic is similar to that of Bifen I/T, except for the usage rates and it is longer lasting.
Whether you decide to use Bifen I/T or Cyzmic, you can be confident that the backyard will be yours to enjoy mosquito (and ant, spider, roach, and whitefly) free. So stop spraying yourself with Off and put away those citronella candles and tiki torches and feel free to grill all summer long. It is YOUR yard…