[May 07, 2014]

Health District's New Campaign Encourages Residents to Face Seasonal Pests Head On

As warmer weather arrives in many areas, residents continue their spring cleaning rituals. And as communities emerge to spruce up lawns, get the yard tools out of the shed, and open up lake places and cabins, Spokane Regional Health District's (SRHD) Environmental Health division is taking the opportunity to launch a prevention campaign aimed at reducing the activity of spring and summer pests.

The centerpiece of SRHD's Bring It, Summer Pests! campaign is a variety of colorful backyard illustrations that show homeowners simple preventive measures they can take to warn disease-carrying mosquitoes, ticks and mice that they are not invited to the spring and summer fun. Using the campaign's simple lndscaping tricks and following its tips to protect the home's exterior, residents now have a useful weapon in confronting these pests and their associated diseases.

Specific to mosquitoes, which are known to carry West Nile virus, the campaign emphasizes draining and routinely emptying anything outside the home that holds water, as standing water can act as a breeding site.

When it comes to ticks, which caused cases of relapsing fever, Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever in Washington state in the past, Bring It, Summer Pests! emphasizes avoiding or controlling leaf litter and high grass outside the home. Ticks also find their way into homes and cabins on the coattails of mice, a pest that the campaign also accounts for.

To avoid contact with potentially-infectious mice that also spread hantaviruses, the campaign gives visual tips for controlling items near the home that could attract mice like trash, compost, birdfeeders, pet food, etc.

And since reducing the activity of these pests isn't just about prevention in the backyard, the campaign also offers tips to round out a comprehensive prevention plan. See it here: www.srhd.org/bringit.asp.

Information can also be found at www.srhd.org. Become a fan of SRHD on Facebook to receive local safety and wellness tips. You can also follow us on Twitter (News - Alert) @spokanehealth.

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