Preventing mosquitoes in your yard requires various prevention and management and techniques. Here at Smart Solutions Wildlife Removal, we’re are always happy to discuss some of the things that you can do on as a homeowner to be able to prevent and control mosquitoes in your yard. The reasons for concerns for the harms that mosquitoes can cause for both for health, family, friends and pets are innumerable. We have multiple mosquito control and mosquito extermination techniques that we have performed in our customers yards with success for many years. We pride ourselves on our level of control that we achieve and look forward to sharing our success in this article. For more information on our mosquito pest control and extermination services such as mosquito treatments, mosquito misting, mosquito fogging, mosquito larva treatments, I-2-Care systems and more check out our website https://www.smartsolutionspestcontrol.com/pest-control/mosquitoes/
1. Eliminate Standing Water
Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water, so reducing it is very important
• Empty water holding containers: Regularly check and empty items like buckets, flowerpot saucers, and old tires and then them over to dispense the water.
• Clean gutters and downspouts : Ensure they are free of leafy debris to prevent water buildup.
• Check and clean drains and low spots: Fix areas where water tends to pool and fake and shovel french drains.
• Maintain birdbaths and fountains: Change water at least once a week to prevent mosquito larva hatch out.
2. Improve Yard Drainage
• Grade your yard: Ensure water drains away from your home and your landscape beds taper away from the foundation.
• Aerate your lawn: Creating pores in your yard improves soil drainage and reduces water pooling.
3. Use Mosquito Repellent Plants
Certain plant types can help repel mosquitoes.
• Examples include marigolds, citronella grass, lavender, basil, catnip and more.
• Plant these around sitting areas, or entrances and activity areas.
4. Install Mosquito-Repelling Devices
• Fans: Mosquitoes are weak fliers, so using outdoor fans can reduce their numbers on patios and porches.
• Bug zappers or adult traps: Use these devices to target mosquito populations in heavy activity areas and areas of shade.
5. Use Mosquito Larvicides
• Use larvicides in standing water you can’t eliminate, like stagnant ponds, rain barrels or heavy bird baths. Look for products with Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (BTI), which is safe for wildlife but lethal to mosquito larvae.
6. Maintain Your Landscape
• Trim bushes and hedges away from the home, ground and fences to reduce shady areas where mosquitoes rest during the day.
• Keep your grass cut regularly to reduce cool hiding spots.
7. Use Outdoor Mosquito Repellents
• Treat areas with mosquito repellent sprays, mosquito misting or foggers designed for yards(professional grade products tend to be more effective and we will talk about that later in this article).
• Use repellents with pyrethrin solutions or natural sprays . Be careful of store-bought products for the safety of pets and children.
8. Install Barriers
• Use mosquito netting around patios, awnings or outdoor furniture(these can be unsightly).
• Build screened in porches to enjoy outdoor mosquito-free spaces.
9. Consider Professional Help
• Often times mosquito problems will persist, hire a pest control expert who can assess your yard and apply effective and safe mosquito treatments.
By combining these strategies, you can significantly reduce the mosquito populations in your yard.
What different ways does a professional pest control company control mosquitoes?
Professional pest control companies use a variety of methods to control mosquitoes effectively. Their processes usually combine habitat management with targeted treatments to prevent mosquito breeding, control adult populations, and prevent re-infestations. Here are the common things they do:
1. Inspection and Site Evaluation
• Identify breeding sites: Professionals inspect for standing and stagnant water, excess vegetation, containers, tree holes, stumps and other mosquito-friendly shaded areas.
• Assess risk areas: Identify high-activity zones like patios or gardens where mosquitoes are problematic. They do this by observing adult activity and looks for larvae pools.
2. Source Reduction
• Eliminate or reduce standing water: Remove or treat water in containers, clogged gutters, or other stagnant areas.
• Landscape habitat modifications: Recommend changes to reduce water retention in yards or ditches and improve drainage.
3. Larvicide Treatments
• Treating mosquito larvae breeding sites: Apply larvicides to standing water that cannot be removed, such as ponds, ditches, drains or rain barrels.
• Commonly used products: Use environmentally safe options like Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (BTI) or methoprene, which kill larvae without harming non-target insect species or wildlife.
4. Adult Mosquito Treatments
• Fogging/Misting:
• Use specialized backpack misters or hand heat foggers to apply insecticides in areas with thick vegetation or resting sites.
• Products often include pyrethroids or natural pyrethrins, which quickly kill adult mosquitoes on contact.
• Barrier sprays:
• Treat bushes shrubs, trees and shaded areas where mosquitoes rest during the day.
• Barrier treatments can provide control for an average of 3-4 weeks.
5. Mosquito Traps
• CO2 Traps: Use carbon dioxide to attract mosquitoes, trapping or killing them. CO2 mosquito traps tend to only be effective in a small area and will often times not achieve an optimal level of mosquito control.
• Light traps: Attract them with mosquito UV light traps that contain or kill them.
• Pheromone traps: Use scents to lure mosquitoes into traps.
6. In2Care Mosquito Trap System
• A newer, eco-friendly system that uses traps to target both adult mosquitoes and larvae.
• Female mosquitoes spread larvicide from the basins to multiple mosquito larval breeding sites, spreading control efforts.
7. Growth Regulators
• Apply insect growth regulators (IGRs) to containers, tree holes and standing water like methopreneor pyriproxyfen to disrupt the mosquito life cycle, preventing larvae from maturing into adults.
8. Biological Control
• Encourage natural predators like fish (e.g., mosquitofish) in ponds to feed on mosquito larvae.
9. Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
• Combine multiple physical and mechanical methods for holistic mosquito control, minimizing reliance on chemicals.
• Focus on prevention, monitoring, and targeted treatments.
10. Education and Recommendations
• Good extermination companies provide homeowners with tips on preventing mosquitoes, like maintaining or modifying landscapes, repairing drainage issues, and removing water sources.
11. Specialized Technologies
• Automated mosquito misting systems: Install systems that release insecticides at regular intervals from a basin through emitters in areas of yard where mosquitoes are active.
• Thermal fogging: Use heat fogging to disperse insecticides into hard-to-reach areas.
In summary, we hope this article has helped give you some ideas of what you can do on your own as a homeowner to help with your mosquito problems and what to look for in a professional pest control company who will adapt their methods to each specific environment, minimizing risks to people, pets, and non-target wildlife.
