Every year Shark Week raises awareness for the most feared creature of the sea, but fewer than a dozen people a year actually die from shark attacks. Surprisingly enough, the animal that kills more than 725,000 people a year is the mosquito. This is why philanthropist and Microsoft founder Bill Gates is calling attention to the deadly insect by naming this week Mosquito Week on his blog.

Despite their tiny size, mosquitoes carry devastating diseases including dengue fever, yellow fever, encephalitis and malaria to name a few. They can be found on every region in the world except Antarctica and in their peak breeding seasons, they outnumber every other animal on Earth, except termites and ants.

Although you can’t control mosquitoes in most areas, you can restrict them from bothering you at home. With a higher number of mosquitoes around in the spring and summer months due to rain, Spring-Green’s mosquito protection services create a barrier around your home to control their activity. This service allows for more fun outdoors without being bothered by the pesky insects.

Areas like rain gutters, tree holes, old buckets or birdbaths with stagnant water are breeding sites for mosquitoes so make sure these areas are looked over and cleaned out. If you’re unsure about how to take care of the mosquito issues around your home contact a Spring-Green professional near you to make your yard a mosquito free zone!