"One of the thrills about living on the Lake is the bugs," commiserates Trey Powell, owner of Mosquito Joe of Lake Murray and fellow Lake resident. "Fortunately, now we have the knowledge, technology and equipment to put a flea collar around our yards to ward off insects!"
Trey's firsthand introduction to insect invasions started in 2013 when he and his wife built their home. "The first day we moved in, we were inundated with bugs. Every night, they'd cover the doors and windows. It seemed like there were millions of them. We joked that they were the lake's welcoming committee, but we got to where we didn't even want to open our doors. And we lived with that bug issue for about a year and a half," he says.
Because spiders are drawn to insects that spawn from the lake, Trey says the overall problem tends to quickly multiply.
In 2015, a friend approached Trey about a business opportunity with an insect control franchising company. "I didn't think I was interested in joining the company at that time, but, as a customer, I asked her to send out their technicians to see what they could do," says Trey.
"I was floored by the great results. We were able to sweep up bugs by the piles. We even called neighbors, ending up in bug watch party."
In less than a week, Trey says he had four neighbors asking for the same insect control treatment his property had been given. And, that's how he became a Mosquito Joe franchise owner. His service area basically stretches around the whole lake, from Broad River to Newberry and Saluda.
"It's amazing to be involved with this amazing, new industry. This company certainly made a believer of me and my family," adds Trey.
While Mosquito Joe technicians are mainly about mosquito control, they have ways of dealing with this year's special problem with midge flies. "They are out in full force. We've never seen midge flies this bad. We're getting phone calls like crazy," he says.
Trey says midge flies don't bite, but they are attracted to lights at night. he says they definitely breed and hatch from the mud in the Lake. "We see thousands of midge flies to every hundred of mosquitoes," he says.
Mosquito Joe barrier sprays typically are applied every three weeks. However, Trey says their new automatic misting insect control system is becoming very popular. The device mounts on fences or houses and runs off a timer. He says the system can be set to spray at early morning and at dusk when flying insects are most active. He confirms that the spray isn't harmful to humans or animals.
"It's meant to be an instant knockdown to flying insects and lowers a local insect population over time," explains Trey.
He says a key ingredient is permethrin, which is an ingredient used in flea and tick shampoos and mosquito-resistant clothing or nets. He adds that they also have numerous, all-natural products, especially for those who want to treat gardens or fruit trees.
Trey says he's often asked why customers didn't know about his effective insect control treatments before now. "Ten years ago, this industry didn't even exist. Now, we have better equipment to treat the undersides of leaves and time-released products, just like micro-encapsulated pain relief pills. And, it's safe for bees and butterflies. We even have beekeepers as customers," he says.
"All our services come with a 100% satisfaction guarantee because our job isn't done until you're happy. Plus, we provide free quotes," says Trey.
803.223.7916
As an alternative to longer-lasting synthetic treatments, Lexington-based Mosquito Joe of Lake Murray offers an all-natural mosquito control solution that's derived from rosemary and peppermint oil. Their technicians treat for mosquitoes, fleas, ticks, fire ants and insects. They also offer sprays for barbecues, weddings, birthday parties and special celebrations.
