How to Make Your Yard Uninviting for Mosquitoes?
We all love sipping on a refreshing cocktail and basking in the summer sun. But that can go out the window when mosquitoes swarm your backyard. Unfortunately, you can’t just blame the mosquitos for ruining your fun. You may need to take defensive action and prevent them from entering your yard in the first place by implementing some measures to keep them away.
There’s no way to eliminate mosquitoes—the pesky, biting bugs permanently—but there are simple steps you can take before your party or family gathering to reduce the mosquito population and make for a more enjoyable evening for everyone. The steps are mostly safe, fast, and cheap. And by doing them regularly, you’ll help reduce the mosquito population throughout the summer.
Mosquitoes aren’t just annoying – they can pose a serious health risk, so it’s important to take action when their presence becomes a nuisance. Here at Knockout Mosquito Systems, we understand your concerns, so we’ve come up with some simple tips on reducing the buzz level in your yard and truly enjoying your time outdoors.
Tips For Getting Rid of Mosquitoes In Your Yard
If you have mosquitoes in your yard, you can do a few simple things to get rid of them.
Lawn Maintenance
A little bit of maintenance can pay big dividends in mosquito-free living. Mow your lawn regularly and keep the hedges and bushes trimmed to minimize shade. Weedy areas should be tilled or mowed frequently since the tall grass gives mosquitoes ideal breeding grounds.
Planting shrubs, hedges, and tall grass around your yard reduce the amount of shade available to mosquitoes flying nearby. Fewer mosquitoes will assemble on your property by reducing the amount of shade in a yard.
Get Rid Of Stagnant Water
Mosquitoes are breeding all around you, even in places you don’t expect. Don’t let mosquitoes hide from you! Block water sources by clearing your yard, cleaning gutters, and ensuring swampy areas drain well.
Look out for ditches that are dry most of the year but occasionally fill with water. Once they overflow, mosquitoes will breed in this standing water.
Mosquito Repellent Plants
Nature does an excellent job of keeping pests at bay. Many plants are naturally fragrant, making them a great addition to your landscaping. You may not think of plants as being able to fend off pests, but certain scents can make people feel good while driving away mosquitoes. Certain herbs and flowers have a repellent effect on these insects, just as they do with other pests.
One way to keep mosquitoes away is by planting some mosquito-repelling plants in your yard and landscape. Plants known for their mosquito repelling abilities include marigolds, lavender, citronella, and catnip.
Use Beer
One of the most effective ways to stop mosquitoes from biting is alcohol. It is an effective repellent for several types of mosquitoes, and the aroma leaves a bad taste in their little mouths for them to remember not to feed off you again!
There are many ways people have found to use alcohol as a mosquito repellent. You can leave open beer containers out or set up a small drink station with different bottles and amounts of alcoholic drinks involved. If you happen to have any unused liquor lying around, this could also be used as an attractant.
Minimize Mosquitoes Breeding Grounds
When getting rid of mosquitoes, learning how to prevent their larvae from breeding is the first step. This includes eliminating any standing water in your yard, including your rain gutters, pet bowls, and artificial lakes and ponds.
- Weekly cleaning and replacing of birdbaths.
- Clean rain spouts yearly.
- Get rid of trenches and puddles in stagnant water.
- Cover and remove old tires that hold water.
Light A Candle
Candles are one way to keep mosquitos away from your outdoor space. In addition to cleaning up your yard, you can also use temporary tricks that annoy the mosquitoes. Candles are one such great idea. The essential oils in a candle create a pleasant aroma and help to repel mosquitos.
Sure, there are plenty of citronella candles to keep away the mosquitos. But why opt for those when you can find tons of other effective mosquito repellent candles? Aside from citronella-based oils, other essential oils are proven to be anti-mosquito.
- Eucalyptus
- Lavender
- Rosemary
- Lemongrass
- Peppermint
- Cedarwood
Spray Your Lawn
As spring approaches, your yard may become a haven for mosquitoes. Most bug sprays use chemicals that can be harmful and even dangerous for you and your pets. If you are looking for a healthy alternative to traditional sprays, try our natural mosquito repellents instead.
Get Rid Of Debris Lying Around
Mosquitoes are notorious for breeding in areas with standing water, so it’s important to keep your yard dry. If you are living on a heavily shaded property, consider letting more sunlight in by thinning out some of your trees and bushes. Another great way to avoid mosquitoes is to place potted plants around your outside space. These plants tend to deter insects, especially those that like shade.
Tips In Avoiding Mosquito Bites
Mosquitoes suck, plain and simple. Here are some tips to help keep them from bugging you while hanging out in your yard.
Replace Your Outside Bulbs
Consider switching to yellow bug bulbs, which attract fewer mosquitoes than traditional lights. Unlike bug zappers or vaporizers, they don’t kill beneficial insects. You can find them at home centers and hardware stores.
Apply and Spray Insect Repellent
It is good to use an insect repellent containing DEET and Permethrin if you spend time outdoors. You can apply it to your clothing and or skin.
Mixing permethrin with DEET provides increased protection from mosquitoes, ticks, and other blood-sucking insects. Follow the directions carefully to ensure this chemical will not harm you or irritate your skin.
Conclusion
Mosquito season is upon us, and it’s important to protect ourselves from the nuisance of mosquito bites. Whether you keep your backyard or garden free of these buzzing pests all year round or in summer, our tips will help you make your home or garden less appealing to mosquitoes.
