The mosquitos tormenting my family have been particularly crazy-making because they're daytime pests and very adept at evasive flight patterns. They are smaller than most mosquitos and stripey—and those stripes are generally the mark of mosquitos that can carry West Nile or Zika. West Nile, of course, is a potentially serious illness to anyone, and Zika is dangerous to pregnant women, so those stripey little mosquitos have a lot of families on edge.

We've heeded the advice to empty stagnant water; we refresh pet water, empty plant pots, don't let splash pools sit around, etc, but still those little invaders hum by us day and night. (One kid we know said she would rather bleed than itch and has made good on that vow.)

To the rescue comes Los Angeles County Vector Control, whose tremendously helpful website is a great starting place for information on mosquitos, mosquito-borne illnesses, repellants, and effective control measures. But the thing that has me writing an excited post about Vector Control is that these folks will also pay a free visit to your home to help control the issue! I filled out the service request form on the website, received a call back within the hour, and had a visit that same week by an inspector who walked our property, treated the drains, then walked adjacent properties and treated their drains and sump pumps as well. The technician called me after the visit to share advice specific to our home and promised to return in five months to treat the drains again.

After weeks of swatting and clapping (and when successful shuddering at how gross it all is), our mosquito problem has tapered off overnight—and it was so easy I can't believe I didn't know about this sooner! So I am raising my Mommy Poppins megaphone to let everyone know: no need to make your little ones choose between itching and bleeding! LA County Vector Control will make good on your tax dollars and come swat those mosquitos for you.

You're welcome.