While a lot of pest control involves removing pests from inside the home, there are some common outdoor critters that you would rather keep off your property entirely. Mosquitoes are notorious for ruining outdoor fun in your yard, from pool parties on a hot summer day to lighting up a campfire on a cool evening.
A Mosquito’s Ideal Habitat
Mosquitoes love an environment that is dark and humid, which is why you’ll find them more often on hot summer days or right after heavy rainfall. Anywhere with a good amount of shade and moisture is where mosquitoes tend to reside!
A mosquito’s happy place usually will have some or all of the following features:
- Shady areas
- High humidity
- Overgrown grass and foliage
- Natural debris (leaves, compost, fallen branches)
- Hollow trees
- Standing water
If your landscape has any of these elements, you’re more likely to invite mosquitoes to settle into your yard.
Five Ways to Treat Your Yard for Mosquitoes
While you can’t do anything about a hot and humid summer, there are still things you can do to make your yard less appealing to mosquitoes. Here’s how to keep your yard mosquito-free and protect yourself and your family from nasty, itchy bites:
1. Clear the Clutter
Give your yard a nice spring cleaning! Remove any debris and tidy up personal items like toys and lawn furniture. This will make your yard less hospitable to mosquitoes by getting rid of some of their favorite hideouts. So keep those leaves raked and cleared, the lawn freshly mowed, and the furniture tidy!
2. Mow and Dethatch the Lawn
Dead grass piles up underneath your lawn and mixes with roots, stems, and leaves, which may create a layer of debris between the healthy grass and the soil. Not only is this bad for your lawn, but it also is an ideal home for mosquitoes! Dethatching can be done with a rake or dethatcher tool and can go a long way toward creating a pest-free yard. As you clear out the thatch, be sure to dispose of it properly in a yard waste bin or compost pile.
3. Eliminate Standing Water
Standing water is one of the worst things to have in your yard if you’re trying to avoid mosquitoes. Why? Mosquitoes look for flat, unmoving water to lay their eggs, turning that rainwater collected by your fence into a natural breeding ground.
Standing water can collect in a lot of unintentional places, such as:
- Wheelbarrows
- Toy bins
- Tires
- Tarps
- Grill covers
- Trash can lids
- And even divots and holes in your yard
A little attention to these unexpected areas goes a long way. You should also regularly change out the water in deliberate areas like pet water dishes, ponds, and bird baths, or use little fountains to keep the water flowing so mosquito larvae can’t survive there.
4. Plant Natural Repellents
Did you know there are a lot of outdoor plants that are naturally repelling to mosquitoes? Add some of these flowers, plants, and herbs around the perimeter of your yard to deter the little blood-suckers from exploring the area:
- Citronella (many mosquito-repellent candles and sprays are made with this!)
- Lemongrass
- Bee Balm
- Catnip
- Sage
- Lime Basil
- Mint
- Pignut
- American Beautyberry
- Marigold
- Lavender
- Wild Lantanas
- Rosemary
5. Contact Pest Control
If you’ve taken all four of the steps above to treat your yard for mosquitoes and still have a problem, it’s time to call the experts!
There are over the counter options, but only a professional knows how to safely and properly apply the correct products. Professionals know what products are safe for pets, children, or plants. Many over the counter products may claim to work for all yards while being safe but that doesn’t always ring true and can make your yard inhospitable to more than just mosquitoes.
Professional mosquito control with Advantage Termite & Pest Control means bringing in experts who will assess your landscape, pinpoint areas of mosquito activity, and create a custom treatment plan that addresses the problem in a safe, non-invasive way. We can even help you maintain a mosquito-free yard through our residential lawn care services!
If you need help taking care of pest problems on your property, contact Advantage Termite Pest Control to request an appointment.
