Get Rid of Mosquitoes
For some pests, like termites, it takes an inspection to know your home has been invaded. When it comes to mosquitoes, though, all you have to do to know you have a problem is to step outside. These pesky little bugs can make the time you spend outside unbearable, leaving you with annoying, itchy bites. What’s worse, mosquitoes are a health hazard, because they carry several different types of disease. Here, we offer suggestions for how to keep mosquitoes away from your yard and prevent them from biting your family.
Mosquitoes show their presence by biting you, but they also make a high-pitched, whining sound that can help you identify them. If you are not sure whether the insects bugging you in the back yard are mosquitoes, ask yourself a few questions about your yard. Are there several shady spots? Does the yard have standing water anywhere? Is there debris in your yard? How about overgrown grass or unkempt shrubberies? If you answered yes to any of these questions, your yard is a haven for mosquitoes.
If you really want to know how to repel mosquitoes, the first step is to make your outdoor spaces less mosquito friendly. There are some simple steps you can take to accomplish this goal, and you should do these before you even consider any mosquito yard treatment.
- Get rid of any stagnant water. Standing water is one of the top issues when you’re dealing with mosquitoes. Female mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water, and mosquitoes spend their first three life stages in that water. It is not until they are adults that they are able to leave the water. Since a single female mosquito can lay more than 700 eggs in her brief lifespan, standing water in your yard can lead to thousands or even millions of new mosquitoes in a very short span of time. What’s more, mosquito eggs can survive the winter, which means when the weather warms up in spring, any water you’ve left standing gives the mosquitoes a head start.
- Treat water you can’t remove. If you have a pond or pool on your property, you obviously won’t want to drain it to prevent a mosquito infestation. Keep the water moving and run the filter regularly, and cover your pool at night and when it’s not in use. You can also treat these areas with larvicide, to keep them from becoming mosquito breeding grounds. If you have a problem with standing water on the lawn, there are a few different ways to manage it. A rain garden, with native grasses and flowers that love water in an area of your yard that collects water, is a really simple way to prevent standing water. Another option is to add a drainage system. Whatever you decide to do, try to establish the cause of the issue: it could be a faulty sprinkler system, misdirected downspouts, clogged gutters, or improper grading.
- Look for problems with your septic system. If there are any cracks or gaps in the septic tank, mosquitoes can get in and breed. Make any necessary repairs and cover any open vent or plumbing pipes with wire mesh too small for an adult mosquito to pass through.
- Maintain a mosquito-repellent yard. Keep your grass cut and trim your trees and shrubs. Mosquitoes like cool, damp, dark areas, so they’ll happily make any tall grass or unkempt shrubbery their home. Plan your landscaping to keep mosquitoes at bay; cedar mulch acts as a natural repellent and so do many plants, like citronella, lemongrass, and marigolds. It’s not just the landscaping that matters, either. You will also need to get rid of any debris in your yard, whether that’s toys, lawn furniture, fallen branches, leaves, or a compost pile.
Once you’ve made your yard an inhospitable place for mosquitoes, it’s time to actually treat for them. You can use DIY products, install mosquito traps, and light citronella candles, but when it comes down to it, what keeps mosquitoes away most effectively is professional treatment. There are sprays that aggressively kill adult mosquitoes but can be rough on your yard and your family’s health, and there are other, more natural methods that allow you to enjoy your backyard without worrying about the effect of the treatment. No matter what kind of professional mosquito treatment you choose, it will be more effective than the treatments available to the general public. Pest control professionals have the knowledge required to eliminate mosquitoes, and they also have access to the most effective methods of doing so.
If you are looking for a reliable pest control company, trust Advanced Wildlife Control to eradicate pesky mosquitoes from your property. Advanced Wildlife Control is a family-owned business, and we understand that when you call us, it’s about more than just pest control: it’s about protecting what you love. That’s why we are passionate about helping families by providing the highest quality service to protect your home about nuisance pests and critters. For over 35 years, we have been Wisconsin’s top exterminators, providing pest control and peace of mind for homes and businesses throughout the Milwaukee Metro area, including the Milwaukee, Waukesha, Washington, and Ozaukee counties. We provide premier humane wildlife removal and pest control services seven days a week, and our services are 100 percent guaranteed. For more information about how our family business can be here for your family or business, call (262) 456-3442 or contact us through our website.