National Pest Management Month
04/15/2019
Spring is here and The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) is recognizing National Pest Management Month each Ap...
READ MORE >
Do you ever worry about getting the flu? I'm not talking about being a full-on germaphobe. Just someone who would prefer to not be hugging the toilet for two or more days. Getting the flu is no fun at all. That is why many people turn to Google's Flu Trends. This helpful little tool lets you know when the flu is "trending." It happens every year. If you know when it is about to spike, you can reduce your chances of contracting the virus.
Flu Trends works by analyzing flu-related search terms and matching the data to recorded flu reports from hospitals. Terms that increase the accuracy of the prediction are kept, and terms that randomize the data are discarded. The result is an impressive tool that gives healthcare professionals a warning of when flu cases will increase. It also helps families to know when to be more cautious.
No such tool exists for mosquito and tick-related diseases, but that's okay. The diseases and viruses these two pests spread are more predictable. They increase every time the weather warms up.
Statistical data can still be useful, though. The researchers at Gideon have been studying trends in tick-borne diseases for years. Their data may not be able to show us where these diseases are worse, but it reveals something equally important. As ticks increase or decrease, the diseases they carry trend together. Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Human granulocytic anaplasmosis, Human monocytic ehrlichiosis and Lyme disease all rise and fall at a remarkably similar rate.
Mosquitoes are harder to track because they pick disease up from one person or animal and translate it to another by infected needle. Higher populations of mosquitoes don't mean that Encephalitis, West Nile virus, Dengue and malaria will all rise at the same rate. If these viruses aren't present in an area, they cannot be spread by mosquitoes. But statistical data does prove that mosquitoes are vectors for these diseases.
All this is to say, when the weather heats up, you're going to have more mosquitoes and ticks visiting your property. With more of these two pests, there is a greater chance of contracting an undesirable disease. You don't need Google to tell when to get a mosquito or tick treatment. All you have to do is look at what the temperature is outside. If it is hot, it's time to call a pest control company. It's time to contact American Pest.
