How to eliminate Mosquitoes from Outside Your House

Every enthusiast for backyards wants to figure out how to eradicate mosquitoes from the outdoors. By the end of the night, at least one tasty person seems to have been bitten by a mosquito, regardless of what you try. But we can't get rid of them. With over 400 species in the United States and over 3,500 worldwide, mosquitoes are here to stay. However, there are ways to avoid getting bitten by mosquitoes and have your next bonfire s'mores night go smoothly.

Reasons for (And Times for) Mosquito Biting

We may appear to be a mosquito's preferred food, but we're not. Dina Fonseca, PhD, states that "many mosquitoes would not bite a person—they bite frogs, birds, and lizards." "But we've domesticated them to realize that we're a source of blood." The invasive mosquito species that are most likely to bite you, such as the Asian tiger mosquito, are particularly susceptible to this. "They're becoming very large populations because they don't have any competitors or predators and can exploit the environment."

Bats, birds, fish, and other insects are all fed by mosquitoes, despite the fact that we may not be fond of them. They aid in floral pollination as well. The primary food source for mosquitoes is plant sugar. "Only female mosquitoes bite—they're little moms getting blood to be able to make eggs," Fonseca explained. "They use the blood to feed the eggs."

Times of Activity

In the United States, June through September is considered high season because mosquitoes are most active during hot weather. Early mornings and early nights are the best times of day for these insects. You are most likely to come across mosquitoes in the early morning and at twilight, though there are a few species that are active throughout the day as well.

Removing Mosquito Breeding Sites to Prevent Them

There are techniques to reduce mosquito attraction in your yard, and thankfully, the majority just need a little effort (and no money!) on your part.

-Get rid of any last bits of water

You've probably heard this before, but when they say "all standing water," they mean "all." "No water, no mosquitoes," explains Fonseca.

But even a small amount of standing water draws too many mosquitoes. "We're talking about a yogurt container, saucers under plants, planters that don't have drainage holes and may fill up with too much water, the accordion extension pipes for gutters," Fonseca clarified. "We cleared out one of those and found 500 larvae for Asian tiger mosquitoes."

Covering recycling bins is especially important because even a small amount of rain can gather in your used cans and bottles, creating areas for mosquitoes to lay their eggs. "Plastic was the best thing that ever happened to mosquitoes," Fonseca continues. Drilling a little hole in the bottom of the cans will help keep water from accumulating and drawing mosquitoes if you store them outside rather than in your garage.

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-Make Your Gutters Clean

Water tends to collect in your gutters when they are clogged with debris. Mosquitoes prefer standing water, so unclean gutters provide the perfect environment for them to breed. The water in your gutters has probably been marinating leaves and sticks, so it's full of nutrients that the insects need to survive. This is a bonus (for the mosquitoes, that is). Gutter guards should be installed if necessary, and gutters should be cleaned twice a year, preferably in the late spring and fall.

-Naturally Resistant Foliage of Plants

Grow lavender, lemongrass, citronella grass, lemon thyme, lavender, rosemary, basil, and even catnip, which has anti-mosquito properties.

-Keep swimming pools in good condition

Similar to how fires draw moths, standing water draws mosquitoes, and swimming pools are no exception. Nonetheless, there are a number of methods that pool maintenance might assist avoid mosquito infestations. In the first place, the chlorine kills the larvae; in the second place, the water circulation keeps mosquitoes away because they prefer standing water; and in the third place, keeping the pool clear of debris prevents mosquitoes from finding any food.

-Create a Fire Pit

Smoke is hated by mosquitoes and many other insects, which is another motivation to gather around the bonfire. (Of course, aside from the s'mores!)

-Clear Out Your Yard

Get rid of any outdated items that have been lingering in your backyard unutilized. Remove any possible nesting areas before they become an issue since water may gather in these objects (such as rusted grills or worn tires).

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-Fill in the holes in trees

Reducing standing water is the main goal here. You can inject expanding foam into the holes in your tree if you see that they are filled with water. This will seal the hole without causing any damage to the tree. Never attempt to replace gravel, sand, or concrete. These can harm the tree and don't stop water from accumulating.

-Converse with Your Neighbors

Encourage them to adopt mosquito preventive strategies. Your neighbor with the swampy-looking planter can raise an army of mosquitoes ready to assault the neighborhood since insects don't respect property lines. Tell your neighbor about it so they can reduce the mosquito attraction in both their and your yards.

-Contact the Mosquito Control Program in Your Area

The majority of counties in the United States have a program aimed at preventing mosquitoes. The county might be able to assist if you believe that mosquitoes are originating from marshes or other damp places in your community.

Mosquitoes frequently breed in other locations than those treated by the mosquito control program due to changes in the environment. "Climate change can change the distribution and abundance of mosquitoes," Fonseca asserts. "For instance, on the coast, sea level rise is flooding areas that didn't used to flood, so the hotspots for mosquitoes may be changing."

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Management of the Current Mosquito Population

Avoiding mosquitoes will help, but what should you do if your yard is already overrun with them? Here's how to get rid of or discourage them.

-Make a Mosquito Trap

The ideal trap is a do-it-yourself setup that uses two buckets of varying sizes and some flypaper or adhesive tape, but bug zappers are fun too. "You add in water, a little grass or yeast to make the environment an enticing place to lay eggs," Fonseca elaborates. "Then you put canola oil on the sides of the container and flypaper, so they get stuck."

-Repellant Spray

The most effective repellent for mosquitoes is anything that contains DEET.

DEET only makes it more difficult for them to smell people, not killing them. Although the Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have determined that correct usage of the spray does not pose a health risk to the general public, including children, many people still view it as a harsh chemical.

-Promote Natural Predators

You can combat your mosquito problem by attracting mosquitoes to your yard, as they have many natural predators. Bird baths and feeders guarantee that birds have a cozy spot to spend time. Some fish species, such bluegills and goldfish, eat mosquitoes if you have a pond. Additionally, bats are natural mosquito predators, and you can install bat houses in trees at home improvement stores.

-Apply Lemon Eucalyptus Oil

When Fonseca experienced a response to DEET, she began using this and found it to be quite helpful. According to a study published in the Journal of Insect Science, that substance and DEET were the most effective in keeping mosquitoes away.

-Get a Fan Out

Even if the breeze produced by using a fan is stronger than a mosquito's small wings, you are still somewhat exposed. "A mosquito can figure out a way," concludes Fonseca. "I got bit on my back—the mosquito used me as a shield from the fan."

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Things That Don't Work to Keep Mosquitoes Away

• Some popular insect repellents don't really work to keep mosquitoes away, so you might want to think again before using them. For starters, there are better ways to avoid mosquito bites than using those lemony citronella candles. According to a 2017 study, citronella candles had no effect whatsoever on mosquito repellency. (However, if you wish to fire them for that reason, they do smell good to people.)
• Furthermore, Fonseca expresses her worries and says it's yet unclear if mosquito treatment businesses are effective. "We know very little about how effective private companies are," she acknowledges. "The best way to get rid of adult mosquitoes is to get rid of them as larvae with larvicides."
• Both mosquitoes and beneficial insects may be killed by commercial treatments. "Then you're replacing a mosquito problem with a plant-based problem, with aphids and whiteflies increasing."