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There are some great ways of preventing mosquitoes from getting too close to you and your home. Follow these simple steps brought to you by bestoftools.com never to fear mosquitoes ever again!
Getting Rid Of Mosquitoes In Your Yard
Enemy Number One
We all love summer, but we all hate mosquitoes. Did you know that there are over 3,000 different types of mozzy? This is a worldwide figure, but alarmingly there are over 200 species in the US alone. Not all of these varieties carry diseases, but this is the reason they are feared the most. We hear about mosquito bites that transmit some of the most deadly diseases around the world, such as Zika and West Nile Virus.
Mosquitoes are at their worst when the temperatures are perfect for their activity. This is usually when the temperature remains above 50 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the night. Some have tendencies for biting humans, and other mammals, while others prefer to irritate birds.
Whatever species of mosquito and whatever species they love to irritate, their preferred habitat and life cycle remain the same. Due to this, we are at an advantage as we can be in control. As you are about to discover, the trick to remaining mosquito-free in your home is to make your home as uninviting to mosquitoes as possible.
Remove Standing Water
Getting rid of any standing water around the interior and exterior of your home will help to eradicate mosquitoes because this is their favorite place to lay eggs. Even the smallest amount of standing water can be used as a breeding ground, so get rid of any water possible. This, irritatingly, can also include things that we have added to our homes and gardens to increase the ease of other jobs, such as a plant saucer or dog bowl.
But when you know that it takes a half an inch of water combined with eight to 10 days for eggs to hatch, you won’t be leaving these little traps around for much longer. Freshwater reduces the likelihood of mosquitoes laying their eggs there, so if you need to catch water, in a dog bowl, for example, then use fresh water each time.
Children’s toys are other great areas for mosquitoes to lay eggs. Not all toys, but external toys which catch water, like buckets or paddling pool. If these are objects you recognize as being part of your garden, then don’t panic. There is no reason why they can’t still remain part of your child’s much-loved toy set, simply turn them upside down when they are not in use so that the mosquitoes don’t have a water trap to lay their eggs.
Throw Away Junk
The worst thing we can do is hoard junk in, around and near our homes. You might as well write an invitation to the mosquitoes themselves, asking them to move in with you! If there are items that you do not need, scattered in or around your home, then it will be hugely advantageous for you, your family and your pets to get rid of this.3
Not only does this junk act as a great water retention system, but it also gets nice and warm, too, which is the best place for a buggy breeding ground. If you want to say goodbye to mosquitoes, say goodbye to junk first!
Many families have tire swings in their gardens. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this – in fact, they are a huge amount of fun. But so that they remain fun and not a health hazard, make a hole in the bottom of the tire to act as a drain, so that rainwater does not catch here and be another mosquito breeding site.
Isolating problem areas around your home is much easier to do after there has been a storm, as the rainwater will have collected then. This will alert you to the areas where water, mosquitoes, and breeding will be a serious issue and will enable you to act fast to prevent medical problems.
Keep On Top
There are jobs we all hate doing, but sometimes, there are jobs worth doing to prevent mozzies and they perhaps aren’t the jobs you may think obvious. During the winter months, gutters clog up and water is unable to drain effectively, which is excellent for mosquitoes. Be sure to empty all of the winter debris from your gutters as often as possible and especially when you see that there is a drainage issue.
If you are aware that there are any holes, no matter how small, in your windows or screens around your home, then fixing these will prevent mozzies from getting inside.
A little bit of light gardening helps too. We aren’t saying that your garden has to be immaculate, but there are a couple of things which you can do that won’t take enormous amounts of time, which will be hugely beneficial to the reduction of mosquito incidents. Remove any weeds that reside near the foundations of your home, and keep your grass at a low height so as to decrease the amount of habitat area these pesky little critters have to roam around in.
A Treat is in Store
The favorite water source of a mosquito is when it is either stagnant or still. Your swimming pool must be chlorinated at the right level and frequency, as well as ensuring that the maintenance of the filter is well looked after. The best way to clean a filter is to do so using the water from a fountain and to repeat this as often as possible. This is everything a mosquito hates and will deter the breeding process.
If you have areas in your garden that collect water and that is its sole purpose and you wish it to remain that way, don’t panic! For the lovers of fish ponds, collectors of rainwater in barrels, or ditch diggers, you can get your hands on a clever little “dunk,” which can be used in any of these water collection points, as well as many others, without causing any detrimental effects.
Well, it kills mosquito larvae, but that’s nothing but a good thing! It is called Bacillus Thuringiensis or BTI and is an entirely natural larvicide, so it won’t harm your pets, fish, or wild animals that may come in to contact with this potential water source. They are widely available from home centers, don’t cost very much and will keep larvae at bay for a month per “dunk.” In our eyes, they are worth their weight in gold.
Tie Tightly
There is at least one thing in every garden that uses a covering of some kind to protect it from the elements. This may be the family barbeque, your boat, or the firewood you are collecting for winter. It doesn’t matter what is hiding underneath your tarp, what matters is how tightly you tie the tarp down. In this case, the tighter, the better.
Not because this means that the mosquitoes can’t get into whatever is lurking underneath your canvas, but because a tight tarp prevents water from pooling on the surface. This is another way to avoid having a free breeding ground for your mosquito enemies.
If you cannot pull the canvas any tighter than you already have done and it is still proving too problematic with water pooling, it would be in your favor to remove the tarp altogether. Nothing is worse than a mass mozzy attack!
Treatment
If you really do feel as if you have tried all of the alternatives and are still left pulling your hair out, then there is always the option of treating your garden. You have the option of being able to buy insect control treatments in either spray or granule form and it is easy to get hold of from your local hardware store.
When choosing this option, you should be aware that the word “natural” does not mean that there is no toxic effect. The majority of treatments are “natural,” but they are made from pyrethrins, which come from the chrysanthemum plant and this can irritate or burn the skin if it comes in to direct contact. Pyrethrins are an incredible way of eradicating mosquitos and ticks from your garden, but they do have their downside.
Sadly, pyrethrins also kill bees and ladybugs, which are essential to our environment and our production of honey.
However, for some people, there is no alternative option. So, the best thing to do is to hire a professional to get your garden sprayed for you.
Fight the Mosquito
Despite there being plenty of different techniques you can use in and out of your home to try and eradicate the annoying mosquitoes, sometimes there is nothing better than choosing the obvious solution. A long-sleeved top and wearing insect repellent remain the best way of avoiding being bitten by mosquitoes, whether at home or on holiday. Citronella and the use of fans are other strong contenders to help you along the way, and though they cannot guarantee that you will never get bitten again, they will decrease the frequency!
