Insecticides

I have successfully used neem in the past to get rid of ticks and fleas in my yard. I also use "Mosquito Barrier" to deter mosquitos. It's a super potent garlic spray that you can apply with a hose end spayer. The smell lasts only an hour, but the mosquitos can smell it for a few weeks, depending on the rain. For aphids and other garden pests, I buy ladybugs - much to the great delight of my daughter. It's a wonderful activity for her and we get rid of a few thousand bad bugs!

Talk with your lawn company (or interview several others) about your concerns. Also, even though they will tell you it's "organic", any treatment should be left for at least 3 hours before the dogs or kids go outside to play. I'd even wait til the next day, as the pesticide will dissipate. Or, have them spray towards the end of the day when everyone is already inside getting ready for the evening routine.

You should find out what products are put on your yard. Usually, once the treatment has dried, it's OK to let pets go out there.

We keep baby wipes by the door for our dog when she goes outside and wipe her paws when she comes in.

Also, not all insecticides are bad. They just have a bad label attached to them. Check OMRI.org and see if there are any that are less toxic and are available for commercial use in your area.

Good luck! At the end of the day, our health is most important. In FL, you have many products being used to treat dangerous insects like mosquitos. I believe many local municipalities in FL use products based upon DowAgroScience's spinosad. I'm not sure if it's approved for lawn use (it is for many purposes from aquatic use to organic farming to flea/tick control for cats/dogs).

I would recommend to every Mom here to check out the Environmental Working Group website: www.ewg.org. They have done extensive research about the hundreds of industrial chemicals that our bodies and our children's bodies are burdened with... very scary stuff! Researchers have found an average of 200 industrial chemicals in the umbilical cord blood of newborns.

Anyway -- the website also lists many home and personal care products that they've tested and determined are safest to use, and offers lists of fruits and veggies that should be purchased organic, and those that don't retain as many pesticides and are safer to buy non-organic.

As for your question, Maria, I'd rather live with the bugs.

It is a little early- but on Sundays I am listening to the amazingDirt Doctor, I think 860 AM, at 5am and there is a website- great safe ideas-
best, k