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Did you know mosquitos hate dubstep? Specifically, they don’t like Skrillex.
Malaysia researchers recently discovered that if you play the song “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites” by Skrillex, it annoys female mosquitos. The loud pitches and vibrations of the songs are enough to disrupt mosquito mating behaviors.
Are you dealing with a mosquito infestation in your backyard? If you don’t want to have to blast dubstep songs to keep the mosquitos at bay, we understand. That’s why we’ve created this short guide to highlight the best mosquito control options out there.
So take a look! By the time you’re done reading this article, you’ll finally know how to have a mosquito-free yard.
Invest in Outdoor Fans
Have you ever noticed how mosquitos rarely bite on a cool breezy night? When the wind’s moving around, it’s difficult for mosquitos to fly around your yard, and even more difficult for them to find people to feed off of.
One of the easiest ways to learn how to control mosquitos is to simply install outdoor patio fans. On top of fighting off the bugs, you’ll also be keeping things cool when the warm spring and summer months roll around.
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Tips for Choosing the Best Outdoor Fans
There are quite a few different styles of outdoor fans you’ll have to choose from. To pick the best fans for your home, you’ll want to consider the layout of your patio and how much of a breeze you want the fans to produce. You can also look into getting fans that come with special add-ons.
For instance, misting fans are a great way to stay cool while also fighting off the bugs. We also suggest that you choose fans that have remote control options to make it easier to adjust the settings. If you don’t have a patio ceiling to install your outdoor fans on, you can buy standing fans instead.
Just make sure that the fans have an oscillating feature so they can create enough of a breeze. If after installing fans you’re still being bothered, it may be time to call in a pest business to help get the mosquito population under control. After the mosquitos are killed off, the fans will help keep your yard safe from future mosquito invasions.
Best Bug Sprays
Another way to quickly get rid of mosquitos is to start using bug sprays. If you don’t have a lot of bugs in your backyard, you can try using repellants that you spray directly on your skin or clothes.
For instance, DEET is a very effective, and reliable repellant and it comes in all sorts of forms. You can find DEET lotions, sprays, and even candles. Next, picaridin is a great DEET alternative and offers long-lasting protection from itchy mosquito bites.
You can also look into getting natural bug repellants to apply to your clothes and skin. For instance, garlic, peppermint oil, and geranium are all effective at repelling mosquitos.
However, if you have a large mosquito infestation, you’ll need to invest in chemical repellants.
Finally, the oil of lemon eucalyptus is another effective bug spray. However, it’s not good for kids under the age of 3.
Here are a few bug spray application tips to help keep you safe:
- Avoid spraying your face
- Wash repellant off the same night you apply it
- Keep insect repellants away from kids
- Don’t oversaturate your clothes
- Don’t apply to unexposed skin
- Read label instructions
If you want to apply a mosquito repellant to your face, we suggest you use 1 that comes in lotion form. Also, if you have sensitive skin, it’s best to avoid using mosquito sprays, and instead, you’ll want to treat your backyard with mosquito-repelling chemicals.
Try Using Chemical Yard Sprays
Moving on, you can also spray your backyard for mosquitos to help kill them off. One of the most popular insecticides sprays on the market today is Bifen IT, and the active ingredient is bifenthrin. Bifenthrin has been around since 1985, and belongs to the pyrethroid family, meaning it comes from chrysanthemum flowers.
Bifenthrin works by interfering with insect nervous systems. The best part is that bifenthrin is considered safe by the EPA since it’s low in toxicity to mammals and birds.
When you buy a chemical pesticide like bifenthrin, it usually comes in a concentrated form, so you’ll have to mix it with water. Then, by using a nozzle spray, you can begin treating your entire backyard area.
Natural Solutions for Mosquito Control
Are you looking for natural solutions to help with your backyard mosquito control? Here are mosquito-repelling plants you can try adding to your landscaping:
- Lavender plants
- Marigolds
- Rosemary
- Bee balm
- Basil
- Citronella grass
- Catnip
Lavender plants are a great choice if you’re looking for a drought-resistant mosquito repellant. Plus, lavender plants look gorgeous and smell great too.
Next, marigolds are another low-maintenance backyard flower whose smell deters even the hungriest of mosquitos.
If planting flowers isn’t your thing, you can also try attracting bats to your backyard since bats love snacking on blood-sucking mosquitos.
Tips for Attracting Bats
Before you start inviting bats to come over for a mosquito dinner, make sure your house is properly sealed up. For instance, look for any small openings in your attic area that bats could enter through.
Once your home’s good to go, you can try making a bat box. You’ll need to put your bat box in a high up location that gets a lot of sunlight. However, avoid putting the box in a tree since this will make the bats more susceptible to predators like raccoons.
Mosquito-Repelling Tiki Torches
To decorate your yard, and invest in mosquito pest control, consider buying a few tiki torches. However, not just any tiki torches will do.
Make sure the tiki torches you’re buying use some type of citronella oil or another natural bug repellant. As long as you’re standing close by the smoke coming off the torches, you’ll be able to avoid getting a bit!
Try Using Bug Bulbs
Another way to practice mosquito control for both front and backyard areas is to install bug bulbs. Bug lights use a yellow bulb that’s either CFL or incandescent, and they look almost orange when they’re lit up.
While traditional lightbulbs attract bugs because of their bright white color, bug bulbs are more difficult for flying insects to detect. You’ll be able to light up your front and backyard without sending out a welcome beacon to unwanted visitors.
Clean up Backyard Debris
Did you know mosquitos like to plant their eggs in yard debris? Things like grass clippings, dead logs, and leaf piles can quickly become a mosquito breeding ground. Even a simple pile of sticks could become a new hotspot for mosquito eggs to grow in.
The average American household spends about 10 hours a week doing things like backyard chores. Simply make sure you’re spending a portion of that time collecting any clutter or debris you find sitting around your yard. Before you know it, the mosquito population will start dwindling, plus your yard will look a lot nicer!
Look for Standing Bodies of Water
Aedes aegypti also called the container breeding mosquito is a common type of mosquito that lays eggs in still bodies of water. When the eggs become submerged in the water, they hatch. And within a week, the mosquito larvae turn into flying adults.
By eliminating standing bodies of water in your backyard, you’ll be able to kill mosquito larvae before they ever get a chance to bite you.
Eliminate Shade by Mowing and Pruning
Another aspect of mosquito pest control is to get rid of shady spots where mosquitos like hanging out. Mosquitos don’t like hanging out in the bright hot sun, which is why they’re usually most active during dusk and then again at dawn.
Where do they go when it’s not their favorite time to fly around? They hide in cool, shady spots all around your yard, such as long shady grasses, bushes, and other types of foliage. Hiding in humid plant areas, mosquitos can stay comfortable and out of the breeze.
By keeping your lawn cut short, and bushes trimmed, you’ll be destroying their hangout spots, forcing the pests to find some other yard to terrorize.
Enjoy Your Yard Without Mosquitos
Remember: if you have a large mosquito population, you might need to call in the pros to help get things under control. Once the majority of the mosquitos are gone, things like outdoor fans and clearing yard debris will prevent the flying pests from taking over your yard again.
Go ahead and pick 1 or 2 of the tips from this article, and start applying them to your backyard today. The sooner you take action, the sooner you’ll be able to fully enjoy your home!
For more tips like the ones in this article, check out the rest of this site.
