Basic Steps to Keep Mosquitoes Away
Do you enjoy spending your summer evenings outdoors, just enjoying your backyard with family and friends? Do you love the sound of Summer time, like the crackle and bang on 4th of July and the sizzling sound of burgers on the grill? Another summer sounds we are all too familiar with, is the ominous whining sound of pesky mosquitoes. The number one way to eliminate mosquitoes in your yard once you have an infestation is to hire a Mosquito Control Professional, but there are also several ways to reduce the number of mosquitoes in your yard naturally, and enjoy your time outdoors.
Remove Any & All Standing Water – Mosquitoes need very little water to breed, and can lay over 1000 eggs in a tiny bottle cap of water. It is very imperative to remove any and all standing water from your property to have any hope in reducing the number of mosquitoes in your yard. If you have any items around your yard like tarps, old tree stumps, piles of debris, or even children’s toys that can collect water, please make sure to check these items for standing water and/or remove from the property and place in a covered area.
Wear Light Colored Clothing – White or very light colored clothing items are known to repel just about all insects, including mosquitoes. According to recent studies, dark colors will attract mosquitoes. Dark colors trap carbon dioxide from the body, which mosquitoes love. Wearing a light colored shirt does not always stop a bite, but it certainly may help.
Run Fans at Ground Level and/or Use Outdoor Ceiling Fans – According to research, the speed of the fan can help deter mosquitoes, which are naturally weak fliers. Another reason that fans can be of good use to deter mosquitoes is that they dilute and disperse the carbon dioxide you exhale. Carbon dioxide is one of the major things that attract mosquitoes. The wind from a fan also cools you off which will cut down on sweat, lactic acid and body heat, which also attracts mosquitoes.
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Invite Bats in to Your Yard – An exciting way to help reduce the mosquito population in your yard is by attracting bats, one of the mosquitoes most-feared predators. Some in-lab studies have shown that a single brown bat can eat 1,000 mosquitoes every hour! You may ask yourself, how do I get bats to come in my yard? Well, it can be as simple as installing a bat house. Bat houses are typically made of wood, they can take many forms and can be many sizes. They can be small, backyard boxes or freestanding towers on tall poles to support colonies. Having a bat house or two can also be fun for the family, to bring a new animal in to the yard that when seen can excite the whole family.
Plants & Foliage In & Around Your Yard – A few other options for reducing the mosquitoes in your yard is to reduce the amount of shade and extra foliage in your yard. When mosquitoes are not flying around biting everything is sight, they will simply hang out on the bottom of leaves waiting for their next meal. When you walk by or brush up against these plants, the mosquitoes can detect the carbon dioxide and lactic acid you emit, and they will attack. You can also plant insect deterrent plants around your property, as well. Be careful when using items like pine straw and mulch in your garden, these add-ons to your yard can increase mosquito breeding on your property if not maintained properly, and always cut back any and all ivy, as mosquitoes love to breed in ivy.
