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How to Control Mosquitoes
Standing water provides a breeding ground for mosquitoes
Mosquitoes can not only be a pest, but can be treacherous to your health with the diseases they can transmit to humans.
West Nile virus has been a threat to many homeowners, especially near wooded areas. There are steps you can take to protect your home, family, and guests from mosquitoes by keeping them at bay.
Thankfully Mother Nature has some plants that can naturally help you control mosquitoes. If you are looking for help on how to control mosquitoes, you have come to the right place!
The first line of defense is prevention. Stop mosquitoes from making your yard an ideal place for breeding and thriving by controlling access to standing water.
If you are keeping a rain bucket, keep it covered after a rain fall. Mosquitoes love standing pools of water, and can even lay eggs in water a quarter of an inch deep!
Dump out any water that is standing, whether it’s collected in buckets, outdoor plant pots, or lawn ornaments. Clean your gutters and other areas of your home and yard of debris regularly, but especially after a heavy rain fall.
Make sure to maintain bird baths, swimming pools, or ponds.
There are chemicals available on the market that you can add to standing water elements in your yard that deter mosquitoes, but won’t harm wildlife or pets.
Consider using decorative rocks, mulch, wood chips, and other natural items to absorb and control water from standing in depressed areas of your yard after rain.
Don’t leave items in your yard or surrounding your home that can collect pools of fetid water. Tires, wheelbarrows, and other items can be neglected and collect water, making a perfect breeding ground for unwanted mosquitoes.
For those of you who are okay with chemicals, in addition to spraying yourself and family with repellent, there are chemical lawn treatments. You can install a misting system that will regularly deploy a layer of chemical mist over your lawn area to keep mosquitoes away.
You can contact a local pest control agent to regularly fog your lawn with insecticide, or install a misting system. Regular consistent chemical treatment is one way on how to control mosquitoes effectively.
When treating your yard, do not forget to address areas that are shady, under decks and porches, and to even treat low hanging branches and tree trunks.
There are a few natural ways you can deter mosquitoes. Opt for mosquito netting to cover outdoor seating areas. Utilize screens on your porch to enjoy the outdoor air and your garden scenery, but keep bugs out.
Choose citronella candles to light your outdoor barbeques, and keep mosquitoes from wanting to hang around with their scent.
There are citronella torches you can also stake around your property, which also give off light and repel mosquitoes from coming near. Bug zappers, albeit not the most attractive lawn addition, are fairly effective at getting rid of mosquitoes too.
Plants like marigold, catnip, rosemary, and citronella are natural mosquito deterrents. You can create a sanctuary for mosquito eating birds and bats, by creating homes and offering food that they like.
Some birds and bats eat mosquitoes and other pests as part of their diet. They act as natural mosquito repellants and add and attractive quality to your home’s garden and lawn area.
Prevention and using multiple forms of mosquito repellants is the best way on how to control mosquitoes. There is no excuse or reason to put you and your family’s health and happiness at risk. West Nile virus and other transmittable diseases are a real threat.
Infected mosquitoes can harm humans, family pets, and pass stuff on to local birds and mammals in your are. Do not hesitate to seek medical attention if you are bitten, and later experience labored breathing, headaches, feeling drowsy, or convulsions.
Check your home’s windows for loose or holey screens. Window screens should fit snug in your window’s frame to work effectively. Consider installing yellow lights that make mosquitoes not want to hang around your property.
Don’t leave items in your yard or surrounding your home that can collect pools of fetid water. Tires, wheelbarrows, and other items can be neglected and collect water, making a perfect breeding ground for unwanted mosquitoes. Fill in depressed areas that don’t drain water well after a heavy rain.
When having a barbeque or event in your lawn, wear long sleeves and pant legs if necessary. Avoid wearing darker colors as that attracts bugs.
Choose a natural or chemical agent to repel mosquitoes, and make sure to apply as needed throughout the time you are exposed to outside. Some chemical treatments can be applied to your clothing and last for several washes.
Do not fall for overly expensive devices that claim that emitting an electronic pulse or sound will keep mosquitoes away. These do not work. The best methods to keep mosquitoes away are a combination of chemical treatment, maintaining a debris-free yard, controlling water sources that can be used for breeding, and natural mosquito repelling plants.
Keep exposed skin at a minimum, look out for signs of mosquito-based disease symptoms in family members and pets.
Dryer sheets and Vick’s vapor rub are said to be mosquito repellants, but DEET based products have been shown to be the best repellant on the market. Lemon Joy and Listerine do not kill mosquitoes.
Citronella plants do repel mosquitoes at a low level, but what makes citronella effective is the oil. Do not rely solely on attracting bats and birds to your yard to eat mosquitoes, as they only make up a small percentage of their diet. Ultrasonic devices do not work and are genuinely ineffective at repelling mosquitoes.
Avoid exposing yourself during the early morning and evening hours, as this is when mosquitoes are the most active. Pesticides can be applied to areas where mosquitoes might breed, to kill eggs and larvae before they develop into adults.
Eat foods that may help repel mosquitoes from wanting to bite you, such as garlic. The best way to control mosquitoes is prevention, insecticides, and keeping window screens in good repair. Maintain a yard and home that does not make it attractive to these pests, and make enjoying outdoors the most important focus, not mosquitoes.
Source: http://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2013/08/how-to-control-mosquitoes/
