Be on Guard: Even the funniest mosquitoes can kill

I was looking for some insect repellent online when I came across some mosquito jokes that I can’t resist sharing because they are so silly yet amusing.  Below are some of my favorite Q and A gags from Jokes4us.com.

What do you get if you cross the Lone Ranger with an insect?

The Masked-quito!

What is a mosquito's favorite sport?

Skin-diving!

Why are mosquitos religious?

They prey on you!

Why did the mosquito go to the dentist?

To improve his bite!

How do you know if you have a tough mosquito?

You slap him and he slaps you back!

What is the most religious insect?

A mosque-ito!

What's the difference between a Mosquito and a fly?

A mosquito can fly, but a can't mosquito!

Funny, right? But I would like to emphasized that mosquito bites are no laughing matter. According to the Department of Health (DOH), there were more than 200,000 dengue cases recorded in the Philippines in 2015, including 598 deaths. 

That’s why my wife and I are very protective with our 7-year old son against dengue especially when we travel to unfamiliar places. Last week before my family headed to a trip to Ilocos Norte, I searched online of an insect repellent that will not only protect us from mosquitoes but against other insects as well.  

I found Guard insect repellent which has 10% Picaridin to guarantee protection versus mosquitoes, flies, ticks, and fleas. I was impressed because its action involves blocking insects’ sensors for the smell of human blood. So we become “invisible” to them and safe against their bites.

The gentle protection of Picaridin is based on a compound found in plant peppers that naturally repels insects. It is just as effective as DEET, but does not cause skin irritation or corrode materials.

Picaridin itself is non-sticky. That’s why Guard is non-sticky and non-greasy, plus comes in a clean, powder-fresh scent. That’s why during our long travel, it feels lighter and fresher on our skin and keeps us insect-free for 4-6 hours when applied on skin.

I also learned that Picaridin is the preferred insect repellent ingredient in Europe and Australia, and is widely used in the US. And because it is less prone to irritate skin, Picaridin has been approved and recommended by the World Health Organization, American publication Consumer Reports, and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Guard can be safely applied on children ages 12 months and up, and ideal for use on your whole family and available in major drugstores and groceries nationwide. Guard is having an online promotion this Mother’s Day and is giving away gift packs to lucky winners. Click HERE for the contest details.

We are on Guard at Paoay, Ilocos Norte

I wish I can invent KUMOT

Last week, I was involved in a killing spree.  And boy, it was bloody!

Hep… hep! Before you call the police and the barangay tanods, I would like to make it clear that no humans were murdered but some were hurt pero parang kagat lang ng lamok. Actually, everyone only got mosquito bites in the process.

I asked two guys in our neighborhood to help me improved our kitchen ---- place tiles on the floor, paint the walls and moved out some clutters.  In the process, we disturbed a family of mosquitos that I was surprised was able to get through our screened door.

The next scene was the group Tres Amigos clapping, slapping themselves and cursing on these flying insects.  After a few minutes, several dead bodies of mosquito (few unrecognizable) are scattered on the floor but not without one of us getting bitten by one of its kind.  My friend just hoped that, “sana wala ‘tong dengue.”

His words made me paused for while and felt a bit of fear in me.  I have a 2-year old son who basically spend almost every hour of the day inside the house.  Even with the anti-mosquito lotion, insect sprays and other stuff made available in our home, I wish there are more alternatives offered in the market.

Then, I saw this question raised in www.vintersections.com: If ever you’re given a chance to invent something (that was not created yet), what would it be and why?

I have always thought that if only I have the opportunity (and enough resources, of course), I would like to tap the possibility of inventing a mosquito-killer blanket that has the ability to kill mosquitos and other insects that will dare step on it.

I want to develop a fabric that contains a scent that can attract mosquito then when they touch the cloth, a human-friendly toxin embedded in it will stick in the feet or mouth that can kill them within hours.

Here are some anti-mosquito plants that I saw at Manila Seedling Foundation that can be used in this project: (1) Rosemary, (2) Chamomile, (3) Citriodora, (4) True Lavender, and (5) Citronella Tree.

I even made a packaging for this product that I hope can save thousands of lives especially in dengue-prone areas in the country.  I want to call this product as Blanket in a Box or KUMOT (Kills Undesirable Mosquitos & Other Threats).

The government can also work on this and can even distribute this for free with partnership with generous private companies.  Suddenly, I realized that things like these is a necessity for our kababayans in Cagayan De Oro and Iligan City who until now have hundreds of people homeless and are just staying in gymnasiums and basketball courts.  This mosquito-killer blanket will be a great protection to both adults and children from diseases brought by mosquito like dengue and malaria.

Now, mosquito killing spree will be less bloody!