Category Archives: Tips and Fun Facts

December is a great month for celebrating! There are many well-known holiday events throughout the 31 chilly days including Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Hanukkah, December Solstice & New Year’s Eve. Since these holidays normally get all the attention, we wanted to give some lesser known December days the love they deserve.

National Mutt day (Dec 2) – Who doesn’t want to celebrate man’s best friend? Especially when man’s best friend is a mix of several different dog breeds. There are a few famous mutts who carved out their spot in history including Spike from Old Yeller (Labrador/Mastiff mix) and Higgins from Benji (Spaniel mix).

Pretend To Be A Time Traveler Day (Dec 8) – Ever wanted to go back to the days of yore? With this wacky holiday, you can at least pretend to do so! This holiday, created in 2007, can send your imagination into the past or into the future; the possibilities are endless. Victorian, Middle Ages, Stone Age, Roaring 20s – it’s all up for grabs on the 8^th of December.

National Cupcake Day (Dec 15) – Red velvet, salted caramel, strawberry shortcake, lemon drop, toasted coconut and vanilla are just a few of the delicious choices you have to pick from on National Cupcake Day! Grab a glass of milk and a few frosted treats to celebrate this sugary sweet day in style.

Eggnog Day (Dec 24) – Cozy up to the fireplace and enjoy eggnog day with a cup of this milky and spicy-sweet concoction. You can even add eggnog to pies, cakes, breads or your morning coffee. Garnish your festive drink with a sprig of rosemary or a sprinkling of nutmeg.

Thank You Note Day (Dec 26) – Now that Christmas is officially over, it’s a perfect time for a hand written thank you note! Let your friends and family know how much they (or their gifts) meant to you this holiday season with a sweet proclamation of gratitude.

National Bacon Day (Dec 30) – We’re sure after all this time traveling & hand writing notes, you’ve worked up a bit of an appetite. Thankfully, National Bacon Day is here to save you. Fry some up in a pan, bake some in the oven or pile several strips on a sandwich with lettuce & tomato. You can’t go wrong with this salty treat.

Make Up Your Mind Day (Dec 31) – End the year the right way by making up your mind! You can make up your mind about how great 2017 was or make up your mind about how wonderful 2018 will be. Whatever you decide, we know you’ll have an easy time making up your mind about how much you love Mosquito Joe. We are always here to meet your backyard needs with our barrier spray & all natural spray services.

We wish you a wonderful holiday season filled with Christmas cheer, cupcakes, notes, bacon and itch-free living!

One of America’s most cherished holidays is almost here– Thanksgiving! There are certain inevitable facts about Thanksgiving that we are all pretty familiar with such as:

1. Family from far and wide will come together to celebrate.
2. The Thanksgiving Day Parade will likely be on at least one TV in your home.
3. There’s a high probability there will be someone at the Thanksgiving table you haven’t seen in a very long time.
4. Turkey will be served with an assortment of delicious sides like candied yams, cranberry sauce or green bean casserole.
5. After (probably) too much turkey and festivities a nap will definitely occur.

Certain things come to mind quickly when thinking about the Thanksgiving holiday, however we wanted to point out a few lesser known Thanksgiving Day facts. Feel free to entertain your out-of-town relatives with the following Turkey Day knowledge:

1. About 46 million turkeys are cooked for Thanksgiving each year. That’s a lot of birds.
2. Abraham Lincoln was the president to declare Thanksgiving a national holiday.
3. It’s not likely that turkey was served at the first Thanksgiving, however lobster and seal were both on the menu.
4. Canada also celebrates Thanksgiving but they gather around the table on the second Monday in October. Interesting, eh?
5. There are four places in the United States with the name ‘Turkey’: there is a Turkey in Texas and in North Carolina and a Turkey Creek in both Louisiana and Arizona. Seven places in the US are named ‘Cranberry’ and 33 are named ‘Plymouth’.
6. During the first Macy’s Day Parade, live animals from the Central Park Zoo walked the streets of New York City.

Want one more thing to talk about with the family? How about the great services provided by Mosquito Joe. We can take care of those pesky mosquitoes that you’re definitely NOT thankful for, as well as fleas and ticks. Give us a call at 404-996-1381 for more information on our mosquito spray services, all natural mosquito treatments and more!

We hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!

(Thanks to Good Housekeeping and CNN and for the fun facts!)
http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/21/health/thanksgiving-fun-facts-trivia-trnd/index.html
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/thanksgiving-ideas/a35457/thanksgiving-trivia/

The month of October offers many treats including cooler weather, pumpkin hunting and fall hayrides, but perhaps the biggest treat of all is what happens at the very end of the month – HALLOWEEN. And while candy is certainly a wonderful part of this beloved holiday, it’s safe to say that the best part of this spooky celebration is the costumes!

Here is your very own Halloween Costume Treats and Tricks Guide For 2017.

Treat – Game of Thrones. You’ll be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t love this show or at least someone who hasn’t seen this show. There are so many characters to choose from which makes it even more fun to be creative. Granted not every one on this TV series is a treat but at least they all have personality! Our #1 pick: Jon Snow.

Trick – Scary Clown. Much to the dismay of many people, there’s going to be a few creepy clowns making appearances this Halloween season. You can thank a certain horror story writer for the nightmares. Oh, and if you see a red balloon, run in the other direction.

Treat – Wonder Woman. It doesn’t get any cooler than Wonder Woman! You get to rock a crown, cape AND lasso of truth; where do we sign up? Fulfill your childhood dream and step into the stylish red, blue and gold ensemble that was first made famous in the 70s.

Trick – Zombies. This idea isn’t going away anytime soon due in part to the success of shows like “The Walking Dead” and because it’s an easy plus fun costume to put together. A dirtied shirt, a little garbled speak, a slow walk and poof – you too can be amongst the undead.

Whether you choose to be sweet or scary this Halloween season, we hope you stay safe and enjoy your night with friends and family! Also, don’t forget that Mosquito Joe of North Atlanta can help control the ‘bloodsuckers’ in your yard on Halloween night with a barrier spray or all natural treatment spray. Give us a call at 404-996-1381 or email northatlanta@mosquitojoe.com for more information!

What are you going to be for Halloween? Let us know in the comments!

Most (if not all) Americans look forward to Memorial Day because it gives us a three-day weekend, allowing us to take a break from our hectic lives and spend time with our loved ones! But we must remember that the origin of Memorial Day. It was put in place to honor the union and Confederate soldiers who died during the American Civil War. And since the 1900s, it has become a day of celebration for all American soldiers who died while serving in the military.

To commemorate this day, communities all over the country attend memorial services and events to honor those that have fallen. Here are 10 interesting facts you might not have known about Memorial Day:

1. Memorial day was originally called Decoration Day. To honor those who have fallen, people all over decorated graves with flowers, flags, and wreaths. Thus, it was dubbed Decoration Day. It wasn’t till 1967 until it was legally changed to Memorial Day.
2. Memorial Day used to be observed on May 30th until the year of 1971 when it was moved to the last Monday in May to ensure the prolonged weekend.
3. Several states observe Confederate Memorial Day. Apart from the federal Memorial Day, certain states have an official day to celebrate those who died fighting for the Confederacy in the Civil War. This includes: Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama, Virginia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and us (Georgia)!
4. More than 40 million Americans travel more than 50 miles from their homes for the weekend, making the traffic particularly heavy this holiday. Be sure to gas up your car if you’re going to be one of these people!
5. Located in Arlington, Virginia, the Arlington National Cemetery is one of the places where major Memorial Day ceremonies take place. One of the largest cemeteries in the world, it is home to 400,000 graves.
6. Two of the biggest car races of the year take place on Memorial Day weekend. The NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 race in Charlotte, North Carolina and The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race in Indiana, are both held on the Sunday preceding Memorial Day.
7. Held in Washington, DC, bikers hold an event known as the Rolling Thunder Run. In this annual motorcycle rally, almost one million spectators and bikers come together to raise awareness of Prisoners of War and those Missing in Action.
8. According to the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association, Memorial Day is now the second most popular holiday (after the Fourth of July) for a sun-baked barbecue with 53 percent of people grilling on the holiday.
9. Performed on the west lawn of the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., the National Memorial Day Concert is also held to pay tribute to fallen US soldiers. Attended by more than half a million people at the venue, the concert can be watched by US military personnel all over the world.
10. The poppy flower is a symbol of remembrance. It was inspired by the World War I poem “In Flanders Fields”. Its opening lines refer to the many poppies that were the first flowers to grow in the churned-up earth of soldiers’ graves in Flanders, a region of Europe that overlies a part of Belgium. The poppy flower came to be known as an international symbol of remembrance. In 1924, the people were faced with a shortage of poppies. To fill the shortage, the first artificial poppy factory was created in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It employed veterans who needed work.

It is important to remember that, along with the much appreciate long weekend, Memorial Day is a significant day set aside for us to remember all Amercian soldiers who have died while serving in the military. Make sure that we all take a moment to thank those people who have given their lives, so that you could have yours. Have a safe and fun-filled Memorial Day!

Lyme disease awareness month is coming up! May is the official month for Lyme disease awareness, but it’s something we should always be keeping an eye on. Here at Mosquito Joe, we want you to have the knowledge you need to best protect your pets and loved ones.

Lyme disease is caused by a bacteria that is commonly transmitted through two types of ticks. On the east coast and in the midwest, Lyme is spread by the deer tick; also known as the blacklegged tick. On the west coast, Lyme is transmitted from a western blacklegged tick. It is unpleasant to think about, but ticks have to stay attached to you for 36 to 48 hours before it can transmit its Lyme-causing bacteria. This means that if you notice the tick in time, you can remove it before it infects you. Adult ticks, which are approximately the size of a sesame seed, are most active from March to mid-May and Mid-August to November. Although Lyme disease is more prevalent in the Northeast, it can surface throughout the United States. Be on the lookout!

Lyme Disease: Symptoms & Treatment

As we know, Lyme disease commonly affects pets. Symptoms of Lyme in dogs (or humans) can vary. An early sign and symptom for humans is an erythema migraines rash, also commonly known as the “bull’s eye” rash. This can start to appear three to thirty days after the tick bite. Other indicators include facial palsy, swollen knee, additional rashes, severe headaches, episodes of dizziness, and nerve pain. Patients treated with appropriate antibiotics in the early stages usually recover rapidly and completely.

Unlike humans, diagnosing dogs takes a little more time. Symptoms actually don’t start to appear until 2-5 months after the initial infectious bite. A few things to be on the watch for include: fever, loss of appetite, lack of ability to shift the body about (lameness), joint swelling, and decreased activity.

Thankfully, Lyme disease can be diagnosed through a blood test, showing whether an animal has been exposed to the bacterium or not. By talking to your veterinarian, you can easily receive antibiotics and get your pet back up and running in no time! For more information on Lyme disease, visit lymedisease.org

Prevention and Care

The best way to prevent Lyme disease is to avoid areas where ticks live, especially wooded, bushy areas with long grass. You can decrease your risk of getting Lyme by taking some simple precautions:

• Cover up: When in wooded or grassy areas, wear shoes, long pants tucked into your socks, and a long-sleeved t-shirt.
• Use insect repellents: Repellents used on the skin can also be applied to clothing but provide a shorter duration of protection (same duration as on skin) and must be reapplied if outside for long periods of time.
• Check yourself, your children and your pets for ticks: Be especially vigilant after spending time in wooded or grassy areas. Blacklegged ticks are about the size of a sesame seed, making it hard to discover unless you search carefully and thoroughly. It also helps to shower as soon as you come indoors. As mentioned earlier, ticks often remain on your skin for hours before biting you.
• Don’t assume you’re immune: Unfortunately, you can get Lyme disease more than once.

Unlike Lyme disease, Mosquito Joe’s mission is to make outside fun again! When it comes to keeping your family and pets protected, we believe the best practice is preventative care. Our outdoor barrier spray works on mosquitoes, but it also eliminates and prevents ticks and fleas. Many of us at Mosquito Joe are pet owners and we take pride in pets being itch free and rid of those nasty pests.

By utilizing our service, we can make your yard a truly enjoyable environment for you and your four-legged friends. There are no contracts and no obligations, so give us a call at 404-996-1381. You (and your furry loved ones) will thank us!