Consumer Advisory: Leave fireworks to the professionals! In Georgia, state law prohibits all consumer fireworks. Fireworks and celebrations go together, especially during the Fourth of July. But fireworks can be dangerous and they cause thousands of serious burn and eye injuries every year.

Q: I keep two 55-gallon cans outside my home to store water for my flowers and mosquitoes are breeding in the water. I know kerosene will kill the mosquitoes but will it hurt my flowers?

A: Kerosene or gasoline should never be used for pest control and will harm your plants. These products when used improperly can pose a serious environmental hazard. To control the mosquitoes breeding in your cans use a light vegetable oil.

Pour just enough oil in the cans to lightly cover the surface of the water. The oil will keep the mosquitoes from breeding on the surface of the water and will suffocate all newly hatched larvae.

Q: I recently got a message on my answering machine, asking me to call a number with an 809 area code. When I returned the call, I realized that I did not know the calling party and hung up. But my next phone bill had a charge of more than $30 for a call to the Caribbean. What should I do?

A: Contact your long distance telephone service provider and tell them that you are a victim of toll fraud. Toll fraud is the theft of phone time. Thieves make random calls to pagers or answering machines and leave a phone number for a foreign country or a pay-peruse number in order to get unsuspecting consumers to place an expensive call in return. To avoid this type of fraud, don't accept collect calls from unfamiliar persons or return calls to unfamiliar telephone numbers. Find out where the area code is before you dial calls that indicate that long distance charges will apply. Pay close attention to recorded voices; they may be asking you to accept charges for the call or other services.

Q: I recently returned an empty propane gas tank for one that was filled. The tank I returned to the store had held 17 gallons, but the one I received had only 15 gallons of propane in it. What is going on?

A: Some propane companies are now filling tanks with 15 gallons instead of 17 gallons as they had in the past. There is nothing illegal about doing this as long as the tank is properly labeled with the amount of propane it contains. Please check the label, and please be aware that the tank may not have the same quantity it did last time. Remember, no one wants to run out of gas when grilling on a holiday or weekend.

Q: I don't have a meat thermometer. How can I check my seafood to make sure that it has been properly cooked?

A: If you don't have a meat thermometer, there are other ways to determine whether seafood is done. For fish, slip the point of a sharp knife into the flesh and pull aside. The edges should be opaque and the center slightly translucent with flakes beginning to separate. Let the fish stand three to four minutes to finish cooking.

Shrimp, lobster and scallops should be color checked. Scallops turn milky white or opaque and firm. Lobster and shrimp turn red and the flesh becomes pearly opaque.

Watch for clam, mussel and oyster shells to open. Boil three to four to five minutes after the shells open. Throw out those that stay closed.

Q: I discovered a wasp nest under the eaves of my house on the second story. How can I get rid or the wasps and the nest?

A: To get rid of the wasps so that the nest can be destroyed, apply an insecticide in the evening when the wasps are at rest. Be sure that the wind is at your back and that you are not standing between the nest and a light source. Insecticide products specially designed for eliminating wasps produce a jet stream of up to 20 feet.

Re-treatment may be necessary. After you are sure that the wasps are dead, destroy the nest.

Q: How can I tell if baking soda is still effective for baking? While cleaning my pantry, I found an old box of baking soda that was over two years old.

A: Baking soda is a very stable product that has an almost unlimited shelf life. If kept in a cool, dry place, baking soda can retain its properties for years. To confirm the leavening property of your baking soda, pour a small amount of vinegar or lemon juice into a container and add a spoonful of baking soda. If a fizzing action occurs, the baking soda is still active and good for use in baking.

Q: How often should I sanitize my kitchen sink drains and garbage disposal?

A: The kitchen sink drain, garbage disposal and connecting pipes are often overlooked, but they should be sanitized periodically by pouring a solution of one teaspoon of chlorine bleach in one quart of water, down the sink. Food particles can get trapped in the drain and disposal and, along with the moistness, create an ideal environment for bacterial growth.

If you have questions or problems with products or services regulated by the Georgia Department of Agriculture write the Consumer Services office, 19 Martin Luther King Drive, Room 226, Atlanta, Georgia 30334, or call toll free, (800) 282-5852.