All you want to do some evenings is enjoy a little relaxation time in your backyard. Maybe you’re grilling some dinner or hanging with friends or family or even lounging alone. You just want some peace and quiet and to destress from the day. And then they strike. First, you hear the high-pitched whirring by your ears. At first, you might think it’s just the wind. But then it gets more repetitive … and that sound is too annoying to be just the wind. Next, you start swatting and slapping. And then the biting and itching begins. It’s enough to make you want to throw up your hands and just go inside.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are ways you can get rid of mosquitoes in your yard and take back your outdoor enjoyment time.
How to Get Rid of Mosquitoes: The Many Ways and Their Pros and Cons
Mosquitoes are a part of life, unfortunately. But they don’t have to be so bad that you’re walking into a cloud of them every time you go outside.
Mosquito control can be tricky. There are so many options out there, so the challenge is knowing which strategies work and which ones don’t.
Let’s look at the ones that have been proven to work and the ones that don’t work as well and why.
Mosquito Control: Nice Idea, But Mostly Ineffective
In a Google search, you’ll find these many mosquito control options. They are touted fairly regularly, so we can see why they might be tempting to try.
Most, however, have been proven ineffective. Let’s look at the reasons why these options might prove to be a waste of your hard-earned money.
Mosquito-Repellent Plants
Mosquitoes enjoy shady areas under plant leaves. They like the darkness, humidity, and moisture these spots provide.
So it seems natural to think that some plants could exist that help with mosquito control. For instance, lemon balm, lemon verbena, lemon thyme, rosemary, and mint have been touted as options that deter mosquitoes. There’s even a lemon-scented geranium that is sold as a mosquito plant.
While these herbs have natural scents and their essential oils have mosquito-repellent properties, they aren’t emitted just by sitting in your garden. You must physically move or touch the plant to bring out the fragrance and use the oils to rub on your skin (testing for an allergic reaction first, of course) and protect yourself from mosquitoes.
However, even if you try and bring out their fragrances, there are no mosquito-repellent plants that have been scientifically proven to keep the pests away.
Bug Zappers and Traps
Bug zappers might seem tempting. Just the name implies that you can easily zap all nearby mosquitoes in an instant. Unfortunately, bug zappers are known to kill more beneficial insects than mosquitoes.
Mosquito traps might also be a temptation to try for mosquito control, but they actually attract more mosquitoes to your yard, not less. So this might also not be a great option for you.
Mosquito Repellent Candles and Incense
Although mosquito repellent candles and incense aren’t permanent solutions, they can provide some backyard relief while you’re outdoors. Many of these products have citronella as their main scent, and some also have the addition of peppermint, lemongrass or cedarwood.
While these products can repel mosquitoes to some degree, the concentration of citronella oil in the candle is usually not highly effective. Additionally, you have to be in the path of the smoke of the candle, which isn’t always possible for everyone outside.
Since airflow is helpful in getting rid of mosquitoes because they are weak fliers and have trouble navigating a breeze, a fan might be more helpful.
Natural Mosquito Control Options
Since natural mosquito control options use the same essential oils that are in mosquito-repelling candles, such as lemongrass, peppermint, garlic, and rosemary, diluted in water, it makes you wonder if applying them in mosquito harborages could work to keep the pests away.
The natural oils may wash off more quickly, requiring more applications for adequate mosquito control. While this is an option you can try, you may end up spending more time and money to gain and maintain relief. A really bad mosquito problem may require a more targeted and faster approach so you can get back outside.
Mosquito Control: Some Tried and True Options
When you understand how mosquitoes work, you can better understand what controls them. For instance, mosquitoes need water to breed; they don’t fly well in the wind; and they like to hide in humid, shady areas. These are common mosquito facts.
Mosquitoes can also be controlled in two ways. They can be handled before they emerge by disturbing their breeding grounds. You can also focus on getting rid of mosquito adults.
While the following ideas may seem simple, they have been proven helpful for mosquito control. Some of them may not have fancy names or catchy slogans, but when it comes to mosquitoes, the simplest solutions are usually the best.
Keep Water Collection Down
Mosquitoes breed in standing water. So, naturally, limiting the amount of standing water on your property will help with mosquito control.
Here are some ways to manage water collection in your yard to get rid of mosquitoes.
- Clean gutters regularly, ensuring they drain well.
- Clean and add fresh water to birdbaths and pet water bowls every few days.
- Remove water that may be standing in trash cans, flower pot saucers, toys, small pools, etc. twice weekly.
- Use bubblers to circulate water in ponds or other water features.
Boost Airflow on Your Property
You usually won’t find mosquitoes hiding in plain sight in open lawn areas unless they are searching for a blood meal. But they do prefer dense areas of trees and shrubs mixed with a dose of humidity; those areas usually don’t have a ton of air movement or sunlight.
So get rid of mosquitoes by limiting their hiding spots. Trim and tidy up your trees and shrubs to create nice airflow on your property.
Mosquito Control With a Pro
There are three main mosquito breeds that can be in your Southern and Central Maryland backyard: Asian Tiger Mosquito, Common House, and Yellow Fever Mosquito.
They fly in short spurts before they must land and rest. That’s why Natural Green Systems Lawn & Pest Control recommends mosquito control treatments every 30 days from April through October.
Using a backpack mister, pest control technicians target the undersides of trees and shrubs, decks, and other mosquito harborages with a fine mist.
Getting rid of mosquito adults means controlling future eggs and more mosquito families.
Ready for Reliable Mosquito Control? Natural Green Can Help
Mosquitoes can ruin a fun evening in your backyard. The buzzing, biting, risk for disease, and itchy bumps are enough to send anyone running back inside the house and locking the door.
But you don't need to give up on your summer evenings outdoors. Give us a call and we’ll bring our proven mosquito control experience and give you some tips on how you can get rid of mosquitoes with real solutions.
Take back your yard from mosquitoes and eliminate the stress of their onslaught for good so you can enjoy your summer evenings again. Get started today with a free quote. Together, we’ll prepare a customized plan to get rid of mosquitoes for you and your Central and Southern Maryland landscape.
Image source: mosquito, scented geranium
