Lawn king’s urgent backyard warning over silent danger

1 week ago 18

Modern backyard with small house and patio furniture at sunset.

Jim’s Mowing has warned current weather conditions were “the perfect storm” for encephalitis-carrying mosquito breeding.

A respected lawn king has called for Aussies to be on the alert and conduct urgent backyard clearance after a dangerous outbreak ‘right outside their door’.

The head of one of the largest franchise chains in the southern hemisphere, Jim’s Mowing head Dan Cahill urged Aussies to clear backyards over fears that current warmer weather and recent rainfall provided the perfect breeding conditions for Japanese encephalitis-carrying mosquitoes to breed.

He called it “the perfect storm for mosquito activity” warning “this is not something people can afford to ignore”.

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Jim’s Mowing head, Dan Cahill. Picture: Supplied

Teenagers filling up watering cans with rainwater to water plants in backyard.

Still water in backyards are a danger that many families do not understand, experts warn.

“People think mosquitoes are just a nuisance, but they can carry something far more dangerous,” he said. “Right now, we’re seeing conditions where diseases like Japanese encephalitis can spread and your garden could be contributing to that risk.”

“This is happening in suburban backyards, not just wetlands or rural areas. People need to understand that the risk can be right outside their door”.

According to the World Health Organisation, “most JEV infections are mild (fever and headache) or without apparent symptoms” – much like influenza, but one in 250 result in “severe clinical illness” with a four to 14 day incubation period.

“Severe disease is characterised by rapid onset of high fever, headache, neck stiffness, disorientation, coma, seizures, spastic paralysis and ultimately death. The case fatality rate can be as high as 30 per cent among those with disease symptoms. Of those who survive, 20–30 per cent suffer permanent cognitive, behavioural or neurological sequelae such as seizures, hearing or vision loss, speech, language, memory, and communication problems or weakness of the limbs.”

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Backyards are a prized commodity for Aussies, hosting many celebrations and activities.

Mr Cahill, who has 5,500 franchisees across Australia, said cases continue to emerge across the country with Aussies’ own backyards silently putting them at risk.

He said standing water – common everywhere in everyday backyards – was all it took for the risk to spread.

“Mosquitoes only need a small amount of water to breed,” he said. “Blocked gutters, pot plant trays, bird baths, buckets, even a small puddle can become a breeding ground within days.”

“It doesn’t take much. A few days of water sitting still and you can have hundreds of mosquitoes ready to hatch.”

Mr Cahill said people could take matters into their own hands without waiting for expert help.

“Walk your property and look closely,” he said. “Empty pot plant saucers, buckets, kids toys, tarps and anything else holding water.”

“Blocked gutters are one of the biggest mosquito breeding zones we see. Keep them clean and flowing freely.”

A common mistake many families make is leaving water in saucers under pot plants, which could also allow mozzies to breed unnoticed.

Water sitting under potplants were a common mistake that many householders made.

“Those little saucers under pots are perfect breeding grounds. They often go unnoticed but can produce large numbers of mosquitoes very quickly.”

“If you have ponds or water features, use appropriate treatments like larvicide dunks to stop breeding,” he said.

Mr Cahill urged Aussies not to let gardens get overgrown – whether lawns or flowerbeds.

“Cut your lawn regularly and trim back dense vegetation. Mosquitoes love cool, shaded and damp areas, so the more open your yard is, the less attractive it becomes.”

“A well maintained yard with good air movement makes it much harder for mosquitoes to settle.”

Even outdoor fans could help make a yard less mosquito friendly, he said.