Mike Downes holds several certifications through the National Wildlife Control Operators Association. He is a licensed problem animal control agent in Massachusetts and holds a trapping license through the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.
Mike Downes holds several certifications through the National Wildlife Control Operators Association. He is a licensed problem animal control agent in Massachusetts and holds a trapping license through the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.
Mosquito & Tick Services
We highly recommend the service - not a one-time treatment - for optimal suppression. The timing of
the service takes into account the insects' life cycle and management is improved over time.
This is a combined treatment applied every 3-4 weeks for optimal suppression (April/May-September/October). When applying products we are careful to consider wind and weather conditions
to minimize drift.
Tick Management
Ticks are parasitic mites that attack a wide variety of mammals, birds, and other animals. Lyme Disease (transmitted by the Black Legged Tick) is the most well known tick-borne disease, but there are others that are also important. Lyme disease is the most commonly reported tick-borne illness in the United States. Infections predominantly occur in the Northeast and north-central portions of the United States.
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A pest control professional will identify tick harborage areas unique to an individual property, formulate a service plan that maximizes effectiveness by understanding the tick life cycle and will identify environmental issues that may contribute to an increased tick population.
Harborage
Ticks typically congregate where grassy areas meet shrubbery or wooded areas. Ticks rest on the tips of grasses and shrubs waiting for a human or animal host to walk by. Ticks can't fly or jump, but many tick species wait in a position known as “questing” which means waving their front legs.
Tick Life Cycle
Most ticks go through four life stages: egg, six-legged larva, eight-legged nymph, and adult. After hatching from the eggs, ticks must eat blood at every stage to survive. Ticks that require this many hosts can take up to 3 years to complete their full life cycle, and most will die because they don’t find a host for their next feeding. (URI)
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To achieve optimal management of a tick population, a service (not a one-time treatment) is recommended. Improved control is appreciated over time.
Mosquito Management
Female mosquitoes require a blood meal in order to lay eggs. In the process of biting a host, mosquitoes can transmit diseases such as Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), West Nile Virus and the Zika virus.
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Furthermore, the presence of mosquitoes considerably decreases the enjoyment of being outside. Downes Pest uses a combination of product application, mosquito traps, and biologic agents (in standing water) to suppress the mosquito population.
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Environmental Factors
Standing water in obscure places provides protected breeding areas for mosquitoes. Places like tree hollows, old tires, gutters, play sets, and more need to be inspected and emptied for optimal suppression.
Risk of Mosquito-Borne Diseases by County
We also make integrated pest management recommendations individual to each property including but not limited to: elimination of standing water and use of bat houses to attract bats (bats can eat 6,000-8,000 mosquitoes per night!)