With summer fast approaching, those of us living in the south are starting to notice the presence of our least favorite friend the mosquito. Every year, the south is overwhelmed by the reemergence of the mosquito population and despite some of our best (or worst) efforts, we all struggle with keeping them away from our yards and off of our skin. To help get rid of mosquitos, it’s often best to be reminded of the basics, and take steps to prevent them from turning your evenings outdoors into a feast.
Remove Standing Water Sources
Over the years we’ve all heard it time and time again, “get rid of the water source, get rid of the mosquitos…” Yet every year we find that people either neglect to remove standing water sources or overlook some of the more obvious ones. Mosquitos need very little water to be able to breed, so it’s important to reduce or eliminate any standing water to help to reduce their chances of breeding on your property.
When removing water sources, people generally tend to flip over buckets and put up the kiddie pool, but it’s the less obvious water sources that can be the most crucial, and the most often overlooked. Items like old dog bowls, watering cans, children’s toys and even empty plant containers can be an ideal location for mosquitos to breed.
Clear Out the Trash & Maintain Your Yard
While we’d all like to think we keep our yards perfectly clean and tidy, we can all be our own worst enemies from time to time. We leave items to be thrown away laying around the yard in inconspicuous places, allow discarded plant containers to accumulate with the intention of using them in the future and occasionally let our trees, bushes and lawns go untended for longer than we should.
While all of this may seem innocent enough, it can create the perfect opportunity to mosquitos to breed. Mosquitos need very little time to grow to their full size, so leaving discarded items in the yard for a week or two before disposing of them can provide a perfect shelter for growing mosquitos, while overgrown lawns and trees can provide an ideal living are for mosquitos to shelter themselves from the elements. By keeping our yards clear of debris and well groomed, we can help to eliminate some of the more ideal areas for mosquitos to hide.
Invest in a Mosquito Trapping System
If you’re looking for a more heavy duty solution, a mosquito trapping system might be a good investment. Mosquito trapping systems utilize heat and chemicals to attract and trap mosquitos, killing them over time. While the machines tend to be fairly expensive, they can be an effective means of eliminating mosquitos in your yard.
Trust in Traditional Mosquito Control Methods
Reducing hiding places and breeding grounds make a big difference in mosquito population, but it cannot completely eliminate them. With that in mind, go back to the basics when hosting an event or spending time outdoors and protect yourself. Make use of mosquito netting when possible to surround active areas with a blanket of protection, light citronella candles to help reduce mosquitos flying around in active areas and when needed, apply mosquito repellant with Deet to prevent being bit.
Have Your Yard Professionally Treated
While the traditional methods can help reduce the mosquito population in your yard, they’re no substitute for having a professional mosquito treatment done by a professional. Mosquito abatement services provided by professional pest control companies can help protect your yard and provide a lasting solution to an overwhelming problem.
Mosquito abatement programs involve regular treatment with long lasting repellants applied to the perimeter of your home and in areas near your home that mosquitos are likely to use as a breeding ground. These quick and affordable treatments can help rid your yard of mosquitos and make entertaining outdoors a pleasure instead of a pain.
