Preventing Mosquitoes in Your Yard

Metro Orlando FL | Kissimmee - Sanford - Leesburg

It’s that time of year. The weather is balmy and warm. During the day you might want to stay inside in the air conditioning, but the weather at night is perfect for grilling out and sitting outside on the patio or in the yard with friends, family, and neighbors. But mosquitoes also come along with the warm weather. Unless you have a fully-screened in backyard, you need some serious mosquito protection!

What Doesn’t Work for Mosquito Prevention?

• Bug spray may keep the mosquitoes at bay for a while, but the smell and greasy residue aren’t that enticing for humans, either.
• Citronella candles can only work in a limited radius, and some people hate the smell and the mess.
• Mass-spraying chemicals across your entire backyard may work for a little bit–until it rains again! Depending on what it’s made of, the dangers of pesticides can outweigh the benefits.

Fortunately, there are better ways to handle mosquitoes than bug spray or ineffective candles.

Getting Rid of Mosquitoes

Follow these great tips for controlling the mosquito population in your yard, and you’ll have an itch-free summer.

• Get Rid of Standing Water: Mosquitoes breed in water, so you’ll want to take a hard look at your yard and get rid of mosquito breeding grounds. By eliminating standing water sources, you’ll be on your way to a mosquito-free yard.
  • Do you have any planters, buckets, bowls, or basins standing open in your yard? When it rains, these collect water and become very attractive to mosquitoes.
  • Do you have a natural pond or water source?
  • Do you have any old tires, tarps, or other water-collecting materials?
  • If you have standing or running water in your yard that you’d actually like to keep, like a pond, pool, or birdbath, consider bacterial solutions. For example, bacillus thuringiensis israelensis is a bacteria that’s totally harmless to humans and other animals, but attacks and kills mosquito larvae.

• Plant Natural Mosquito Repellents: Consider planting some decorative shrubs that also act as mosquito repellents.
  • Did you know that mosquitoes hate rosemary, citronella, and marigolds? All of these plants are beautiful to look at, and they act as natural mosquito repellents. Plant them in damp areas in your yard and/or near your picnic table or patio area.

• Get the Air Moving: These annoying insects have a serious aversion to wind and breezes. They’re attracted to areas with stagnant air, so adding your own breeze will go a long way to keeping them away.
  • If you have a covered patio, consider installing a ceiling fan. This will not only keep you and your guests cool, but it will physically repel mosquitoes.
  • Use an outdoor standing fan to move air around an outside table.

Get Rid of Mosquitoes for Good

If you use a combination of the above tips, you really shouldn’t have anything to worry about, but some mosquitoes seem to be more tenacious than others. If you can’t seem to get rid of them with any or all of these methods, talk to a lawn and garden expert about safe chemicals or solutions you can apply to your yard to kill and repel mosquitoes. Heron Home & Outdoor will work with you to make sure your needs are taken care of, any problems are addressed, and we won’t stop working until your backyard is fully controlled. Call Heron today for a free estimate!