With all the reports in the news about mosquitoes, many regarding the spread of West Nile and Lyme disease, it is no doubt you and your family are searching for ways to keep your yard bug and disease free. Throughout your research you probably saw four letters appear quite frequently: DEET. Now you may be asking yourself well, what is DEET? DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide) is the active ingredient in many insect-repellent products. Sprays, lotions, wristbands, and belt clips you see advertised for insect repellent more than likely have DEET as their main ingredient. And while the EPA says DEET is completely safe, research has argued if it’s truly as effective as often published.

Earlier this year a study done by scientists from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine showed that at first mosquitoes were repelled by the scent of DEET, but after just a couple of hours they would get used to it, and later just plain ignore it. Another study referenced on the CDC website shows that depending on the amount of DEET in a product, its effectiveness ranges from about an hour and a half for products with lower amounts of DEET to five hours for products containing a higher percentage of DEET.

It’s great to have an effective product but when it comes to enjoying your time outside, you don’t want to be restricted by a short time limit for effectiveness – you want a no-hassle, consistent and ongoing solution to keeping bugs at bay. While researchers continue to argue the effectiveness of DEET as an ingredient in mosquito repellents and how long it repels, avoid the guessing game and call 24/7 Local Pest Control. We’ll set up a barrier around your yard to keep mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks out for up to 21 days per service. Our certified technician will provide a customized treatment addressing all your problem areas and will return every three weeks for ongoing protection. Just like DEET, the chemicals used in our barrier sprays are EPA approved so once they’re dry (about 30 minutes) your kids and pets can go right back to playing outside. If you want an all-natural solution, we offer those treatments as well.

So as you consider your method of mosquito control this season, consider the consistent, affordable and convenient solution of 24/7 Local Pest Control. We offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee, (and we think you’ll smell a lot better than using those awful sprays), so find your local Joe and give us a call today. Let’s make outside fun again.