Summer’s here, and that means family cookouts, parties, and fun times outdoors – and the need to control mosquitoes around your home in order to enjoy those activities! Their annoying buzzing and biting can ruin a perfectly planned picnic. Taking a proactive approach to these pests can help reduce the multitude of mosquitoes in your area, and regular maintenance tasks will prevent them from making your yard their home.
Do-It-Yourself bug spraying isn’t the best option, because all the product choices available at home centers and department stores can make it confusing to choose the right spray for your situation. Ideally, a proactive mosquito control plan includes professional spraying and treatments from qualified pest control specialists. They will know what type of bugs are inviting themselves to your party and the specific chemical to use at the correct strength.
Tips to Control Mosquitoes
Standing water is necessary for mosquitoes to breed, and the little pests can find standing water in areas that you may have forgotten about. Clogged gutters, flower pot trays, birdbaths, and watering cans may have water that is a good breeding area for mosquitoes. If the water is standing still and not fresh, it’s inviting territory for a mosquito to lay eggs.
As an ongoing preventative measure, make sure these water-holding devices are clean and free from standing water, or that the water is replaced frequently.
Dark, damp, bushy areas also invite mosquitoes, so if your deck or backyard party area is near or around a lot of foliage, consider trimming overgrown bushes and raking up dead leaves beneath. This will help prevent infestations.
Mosquitoes inside the home can be pretty annoying, especially when the weather is already hot and sticky. Make sure your windows and doors have adequate screens installed, and keep outer doors closed in the evening, when mosquito activity is higher. Check doorways and window frames to see if extra caulking is needed for any cracks you might have missed during spring home maintenance.
Fans help cool you off, but they also help keep the mosquitoes away – they don’t fly very well against moving air. Whether you are indoors, in the garage, or even on the backyard deck, consider running a fan to keep the air moving.
A professional pest control company can help you eliminate or drastically reduce and control mosquitoes around your home, so that you can be free to enjoy the nice weather this year.
