Gardening
Manage Mosquitoes for a Safer and More Enjoyable Summer
Mosquitoes serve as a carrier in the spread of certain diseases, including West Nile, Saint Louis Encephalitis, Zika and other mosquito-vectored diseases.
Photo credit: photo courtesy of James Gathany CDC
Don’t let the buzz of mosquitoes keep you indoors. Most mosquitoes are a nuisance, causing rashes and itching but some species can transmit diseases that can make you sick. Understanding how they breed and spread disease can help you gain the upper hand in the battle against these pesky insects.
Mosquitoes serve as a carrier (vector) in the spread of certain diseases. It starts when they feed on an animal infected with heartworms or an animal or person with West Nile, Saint Louis Encephalitis, Zika or other mosquito-vectored disease. The young heartworm or virus is taken in with the mosquito’s blood meal. The heartworm larvae or virus is then transmitted to other organisms when the mosquito feeds on them.
Always take precautions when traveling to other regions. Find out about the health risks of the area and come prepared. Consult with your doctor and be sure to pack repellent and the appropriate clothing.
At home, start by eliminating mosquito breeding grounds. These insects need standing water to reproduce. The larvae hatch and feed on tiny organisms in the water. Once they morph into adults, they leave the water and look for animals and people to dine upon.
Get rid of any standing water to eliminate breeding grounds in your landscape. Clean clogged gutters where water can collect and mosquitoes can breed. Empty water that collects in any items left outside. Change the water in your birdbath at least once a week or anytime you water your container gardens.
Toss an organic mosquito control, like Mosquito Dunks and Mosquito Bits (SummitResponsibleSolutions.com), into your rain barrel, pond or other water feature. Mosquito Bits quickly knock down the mosquito larval population, while Mosquito Dunks provide 30 days of mosquito control. The active ingredient is Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis, a naturally occurring soil bacterium that kills the mosquito larvae but is safe for children, fish, pets, beneficial insects and wildlife.
Invite the songbirds into your backyard with birdhouses, birdbaths and feeders. Most of them feed on insects, including mosquitoes and garden pests, while adding color, motion and beauty to your landscape.
Keep the garden weeded. Mosquitoes rest in shrubs, trees and weeds during the day. Removing weeds and managing neglected garden spaces will make your landscape less inviting to these pests.
Further protect yourself by wearing light colored clothing, long sleeves and long pants when enjoying the outdoors. Apply EPA-approved repellents as directed on the label.
Use a fan when sitting on the porch or even working in the garden. The gentle breeze helps keep the weak-flying mosquitoes away.
Then add a bit of ambience to your next party by lighting a few citronella candles. Citronella oil and the scented candles do have some mosquito-repelling properties. Scatter lots of candles throughout the party and within a few feet of your guests for some short-term relief.
And be sure to keep mosquitoes out of your house. Repair windows and screens that may be providing easy access into your home.
Taking a few precautions will help you manage these pests so you can enjoy the outdoor summer activities you love.
Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” DVD series and the Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio segments. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and was commissioned by Summit for her expertise to write this article. Her web site is www.MelindaMyers.com.
Antiques
Silver Age Comic Books
Amazing Fantasy #15, including the first appearance of Spider-Man.
In my last column I offered a brief history of comic books and discussed Modern Age and Bronze Age comic books. I will discuss the Silver Age of comic books in this column, which took place from 1956 to 1970. Some sources, including Britannica, list 1969 as the final year though.
Even though comic books were popular during the Silver Age, Britannica notes that the genre faced new competition during the 1950’s. The Adventures of Superman ran on television from 1953 to 1957. Many comic book readers switched from reading Superman to viewing him on television.
DC Comics turned to other themes like science fiction and the Cold War with Russia to attract more readers, according to Britannica. In 1955 they introduced the first new character in approximately 10 years, the Manhunter from Mars. They also released updated versions of superheroes from the past: the new Flash, the new Green Lantern, Justice League and the “New Look” Batman.
The Justice League was generating such strong results for DC Comics in 1961 that Marvel Comics shifted its focus to superheroes. The Fantastic Four’s premier edition was published in November of 1961. Marvel later created the Incredible Hulk, the Mighty Thor, Daredevil, the X-Men, Captain America and the Amazing Spider-Man.
Guinness World Records website has a timeline of the introduction of new comic book characters. Supergirl first appeared in 1959. The Justice League was first published in 1960. As previously mentioned, the Fantastic Four was created in 1961. 1962 saw the introduction of the Incredible Hulk and Spider-Man. Ironman and the X-Men first appeared in 1963.
In our last live auction, we sold a first edition of The Incredible Hulk. Despite being in only fair condition, it went for $4,500. High quality Silver Age comics in near perfect condition can bring huge prices. A Fantastic Four # 1 sold for over $200,000 in 2012. In 2018, Justice League issue # 1 also brought over $200,000. An Incredible Hulk # 1 sold for over 1/3 of a million dollars in 2018. A first issue of X-Men fetched nearly $500,000 in 2012. A 1962 copy of Amazing Fantasy # 15 featuring the first appearance of Spider-Man sold for nearly $800,000 at auction this year. That should have made the consignor feel almost superhuman.
Unfortunately, there is some disappointing local antique news. The July Brimfield Antique Show has been cancelled due to COVID-19. The September show is still scheduled though for September 8th through the 13th.
As I mentioned in my last column, we are changing our approach to keep everyone safe and healthy during these times. The good news is that we have reopened online bidding on our Rutland farm estate auction. We will have a preview on June 20th. Masks will be required and we will be following social distancing guidelines. Bidding will end on June 24th. We continue to accept smaller sized, high quality consignments that can be shipped to bidders across the country for our online only auction that will take place this month, ending on June 25th.
Contact us at: Wayne Tuiskula Auctioneer/Appraiser Central Mass Auctions for Antique Auctions, Estate Sales and Appraisal Services www.centralmassauctions.com (508-612- 6111) info@centralmassauctions.com