World Executive Chronicles | How to Get Rid of Mosquitoes in Your Backyard: A Step-By-Step Guide | From the inside of your house, it looks like a beautiful night. The stars are out, the lightning bugs are dancing, and you want nothing more than to go outside to enjoy it. But when you do, what happens? You’re met with a swarm of mosquitos. Backyard mosquitoes can prevent you from enjoying outside time. So what can you do to stop them from being a problem? Keep reading for a guide on how to get rid of mosquitoes.
An Introduction to Mosquitoes
Before learning about how to get rid of them, you should understand some facts about mosquitoes.
Although all mosquitoes seem similar and awful, there are around 3,000 different types. In the US, there are around 200 species.
Many people believe that mosquitoes are parasites that suck blood for food. However, the reason they suck blood is to ensure that their bodies have enough nourishment to lay eggs.
Mosquitoes lay a large number of eggs at once. In some instances, they can lay over 100. This means that it’s easy for mosquito populations to get out of hand if you don’t control them.
As if mosquitoes weren’t annoying enough, they also are common disease carriers. Diseases such as West Nile, Malaria, and Zika can cause severe health problems.
Consider Where They’re Coming From
When you’re looking into cutting down on mosquito populations, consider where they can be coming from. Understand that mosquitoes need standing water to breed.
If you have open containers of water at your home, look into repairing leaks or removing them. You can also dump the containers, which will kill the mosquito larvae before they can mature.
Keep in mind that although most mosquitoes lay their eggs in still water, there are some that do not. The mosquito responsible for spreading dengue and Zika has no problem reproducing on land.
In some cases, getting rid of a water source is not a practical decision. So what else can you do?
Repel Them
If you don’t want to use harsh chemicals and treatments, you can look into more natural ways to keep mosquitoes away.
If you’re outside for an evening, there are some other repellents you can use. Burning certain kinds of candles, such as citronella, will help keep them away. You can also use essential oils with lavender, eucalyptus, or lemon. Mosquitoes don’t like these smells and will steer clear of where they originate from.
Keeping your yard neat and tidy can be another way to repel mosquitoes. They prefer spaces that are dark, damp, and cool. You can also get certain plants that they avoid. These can include lemongrass, lavender, tulsi, and basil.
If possible, you can also set up some fans. Mosquitoes can’t fly well if there is a wind, so some strategically-placed fans can keep you and anyone else from being bitten.
Introduce Natural Predators
If you want to make mosquitoes run for their lives, consider introducing some natural predators that will keep their population under control.
If you have a pond or a small body of water on your property, mosquitoes may be breeding in there. Fish such as koi and minnows snack on mosquito larvae. Putting some of them into the pond can be a good place to start.
Other animals, such as lizards, frogs, bats, spiders, bats, and crustaceans also enjoy eating mosquitoes. Look for opportunities to incorporate some of them into your backyard.
Certain soil spores can also poison mosquitoes. BTI, or Bacillus thurigiensis israelensis, poisons the larvae, making them unable to consume food. You can buy BTI pellets at gardening stores. Place them in standing water, and they’ll target mosquito and black fly larvae. The water will still be safe, including for your pets!
Look Into Chemical Solutions
Sometimes, cutting down on mosquito populations means using aggressive methods. Chemical solutions are often the best way to do this.
Many mosquito traps attract them with sweet smells, heat, or carbon dioxide. Chemicals then work to kill the mosquitoes and their larvae. You can also sometimes work with a professional company that specializes in mosquito control.
If the body of water you believe mosquitoes to be breeding in is not important to you and devoid of other life, you can add a layer of kerosene or oil. This will suffocate the larvae.
Keep in mind that while killing mosquitoes can be satisfying, it may not be the best choice for the environment. Mosquitoes can develop resistance to chemicals, which makes them harder to kill. Chemical solutions can also harm the environment, as well as the animals that eat mosquitoes.
Decide on Physical Methods
If you have a few pesky mosquitoes as opposed to swarms, physical methods may suffice.
Consider investing in a bug zapper to help you kill the mosquitoes. Although they won’t be attracted to the blue light like other insects, you can use it to kill any that you do see. Make sure not to kill other insects!
Mosquitoes are not strong fliers. This means that you can also create traps using a fan. Fasten window screen fabric over the back of a fan, then turn it on. The trap will catch mosquitoes flying by. They’ll then die of dehydration while stuck in the trap.
How to Get Rid of Mosquitoes? Be Persistent
Mosquitoes can take away from the beauty of an otherwise wonderful night. If you’re wondering how to get rid of mosquitoes, following these strategies can be a good place to start. At the very least, you’ll be able to cut down on their severity.
Do you have any other strategies on how to stop mosquitoes in the backyard? Let us know!
For more guides and tips, check out some of our other blog posts.
