Your backyard should be a place for relaxation and recreation — not the scene of a bloodbath. But as the days grow longer and more humid, the mosquitoes emerge in full force, disrupting time playing in the swimming pool or grilling out on the patio, chasing us back indoors.
These buzzing, blood-sucking insects are more than just a pest. Mosquitoes, particularly in the Southeastern United States, can carry dangerous viruses, such as West Nile or Zika, posing a threat to your family’s health and safety.
If you want to keep your yard a safe place for your children to play and your friends to kick back this summer, follow these tips for backyard mosquito control:
Get rid of standing water.
Mosquitoes require water to breed, as that’s where they lay their eggs. One of the biggest factors attracting mosquitoes is standing water. Most of us have standing or stagnant water on our property, even if we do not realize it.
Take a walk around your yard and empty any containers that hold or may collect rain water. This can include flower pots, wheel barrels, bucket toys, children’s pools, and more.
Also, turn off any dripping faucets and empty any water remaining in your hose. If you maintain a bird bath, replace the water frequently. Scrub clean any contain where you find water, as mosquito eggs may remain and later hatch.
If possible, level any areas of your yard where rain water may collect. And don’t forget to check your drain pipes for any obstructions that may cause water to accumulate.
If you water your flower beds, garden, or lawn regularly, take care not to over water and allow water to accumulate. If you know of areas of your lawn or flower beds that accumulate water more easily than others, water those areas sparingly.
Take care of your ornamental pool.
If you own a decorative fish pond or another water-based ornamental feature in your yard, maintain it properly by ensuring the water receives regular and proper circulation, which can help prevent mosquito eggs from hatching. You may also want to explore introducing one of several species of fish that feed on mosquitoes that land in the pool.
Cover your swimming pool.
If you own a backyard swimming pool, cover it when not using and ensure the pool receives proper water circulation on a regular basis, as well.
Cut your grass.
Long grass provides a great place for mosquitoes to escape the sun and other environmental threats, including predators. Mowing your grass regularly helps ensure they won’t stay down there for long and removes the incentive to stick around your yard.
Hang a bird feeder
Birds prey on mosquitoes, and some say that attracting natural mosquito predators like birds can help reduce the population in your yard.
Make it a community affair.
Depending on how close you live to your neighbors, their yard maintenance habits can impact the success of your mosquito reduction efforts. After all, it doesn’t do much good for you to eliminate standing water in your yard if your neighbor’s yard is still full of it.
Talk with your neighbors about the steps you plan to take to cut down on mosquitoes in your yard this year and encourage them to take similar action. You can even offer to help!
Protect yourself.
While the steps suggested above will certainly help reduce mosquitoes in your yard, they may not completely eliminate the pests. Take steps to protect yourself and your children, regardless. This can include using insect sprays, including ones containing Deet, or wearing long pants and long sleeves. You may also want to avoid going outside at peak times for mosquitoes — dawn and dusk.
Treat your grass.
Finally, to ensure your yard remains protected against disease-spreading mosquitoes, consider having your yard professionally treated. This involves spraying a mosquito-repellant on your grass, trees, and shrubs. Most treatments last for several weeks, ensuring greater protection for your family’s health during the worst months of the year.
If you’re interested in having your yard treated for mosquito control, contact us today at Consolidated Pest Control to discuss the best solution for your yard.
Our 8-treatment plan starts at just $89 and will leave your yard — and your family — protected from mosquitoes for up to five weeks.
