Mosquitoes can make a summer night on the patio a night of aggravation. Michele Sommers wants to make sure summer nights in the yard are simply fun.
Michele, owner of newly franchised Mosquito Joe, likes to be outdoors. She says it’s where she finds her sense of community. “Outdoors is a place where you meet your neighbors and socialize with family and friends.” If you can’t do that because you’re constantly swatting at the mosquitoes, then you need to call Mosquito Joe.
Michele and her team will work with you to develop a strategic plan to rid your yard of the pests. “We’ve been trained to learn where mosquitoes hide out,” she says. “We treat those areas specifically with a barrier spray that adheres to the trees and bushes. When the mosquitoes land there, they die. Michele explains they have to reapply the chemical every 21 days. “The rain doesn’t wash it away; it’s the sun that breaks down the spray’s effectiveness.” Michele and her team work to educate their clients on the “problem areas” where mosquitoes breed and live and how to minimize their reproduction. This tactic, combined with chemical treatments, mean customers can expect a 90-95% reduction in the mosquito population.
While Mosquito Joe uses a synthetic form of a naturally occurring compound found in the chrysanthemum flower, her staff uses an organic treatment on flowering trees and bushes. “We pay special attention to our pollinating friends – bees and butterflies,” Michele says. Used in conjunction with the chemical spray, Michele is confident in her ability to provide you with a summertime outdoor space that’s mosquito free. Satisfaction guaranteed.
From her own experience, Michele understands how challenging mosquitoes and their bites can be to some people. “Everybody has mosquitoes and not a single person enjoys them! Some of us like them less than others,” she says. “My son and I are mosquito magnets. We can’t walk outside without being attacked. It’s a big deal to us.”
Research shows that mosquitoes do exhibit blood-sucking preference, according to the experts at WebMD. “One in 10 people are highly attractive to mosquitoes,” reports the website. The site continues: “But it’s not dinner they’re sucking out of you. Female mosquitoes — males do not bite people — need human blood to develop fertile eggs. And apparently, not just anyone’s will do. The carbon dioxide you exhale and your skin’s odorants definitely attract the female mosquitoes.”
With a propensity for mosquito bites and the desire to work for her own business, Michele and her husband, Jeff, chose Mosquito Joe. “We’ve owned our own architecture business for over 10 years. I help him out, but in terms of my own career . . . I decided it was time to be self-employed. I like the control of doing what I want to do and working hard when I need to. When I grew up, my family was self-employed, so this is something I really know.”
Mosquito Joe has about 100 franchisees in 200 territories. While they focus on mosquitoes, they can also help get rid of ticks and fleas. Michele’s business covers Sangamon, Menard and Macon counties. You can reach the business at 217-717-4789 or visit their website at Springfield.MosquitoJoe.com.