It’s officially summer, which means cookouts, pool time, backyard hangouts, and mosquitoes that are thriving. And with all the warm bodies gathering outdoors to enjoy the sunshine and warm weather, keeping mosquitos away is easier said than done!
While it may be tempting to simply reach for the mosquito repellent and citronella candles, you can do so much more to keep the mosquitoes under control – and out of your yard – this summer.
Here are a few tips you may not have considered that will deter and eliminate the buzzing pests:
- Eliminate Standing Water
- Plant Natural Mosquito Repellants
- Clean Up the Yard
- Treat Your Lawn
- Add Yellow Lighting
Avoiding going outside because of your Nashville home’s mosquito problem? Contact Certified Pest Control for mosquito control today!
Eliminate Standing Water
While water does not have to be eliminated entirely from your yard in the summer, what you want to watch out for is old standing water. A few obvious water sources that you should be sure to refresh or treat regularly include the birdbath, fish pond, pool, and hot tub.
If your yard has spots that seem to retain water, such as a drainage ditch, these areas need to be cleaned, leveled, or drained in a way that won’t be so welcoming to mosquitoes.
Plant Natural Mosquito Repellants
In addition to the citronella plant, did you know there are other scented plants that repel mosquitoes? If you are a fan of lavender or marigolds, both are an excellent – and lovely – choice to plant in your flowerbed or in pots near your porch and patio. In fact, lavender is believed to hinder a mosquito’s sense of smell.
Even if you don’t like lavender or marigolds, do you like to grow fresh herbs? Rosemary, basil, mint, and sage are all-natural mosquito repellents, as well. Burning sage in a fire pit, or even indoors, releases an earthy smell that bugs, including mosquitoes, dislike.
Clean Up the Yard
With the kids spending lots of time outside, it might seem like extra work to pick up their toys from the yard. In reality, things like sandbox toys, Little Tikes cars, and plastic playhouses are a few examples of toys with compartments that, if left unattended, can collect rainwater and be a breeding spot for mosquitoes.
Toys aren’t the only potential place rainwater might pose a problem. Old tires, wheelbarrows, the truck bed, garden pots, and even your home’s gutters – if full of leaves – can be the perfect place for pesky mosquitoes to lay their eggs.
Treat Your Lawn
If you think treating your lawn for mosquitoes is too rigorous and unnecessary, think again! Treating your yard during months when mosquitoes are active can be the difference between a few mosquitoes and a swarm of them!
During Certified Pest Control’s monthly protection visits, our highly trained technicians not only identify what kind of mosquitoes you have in your yard but also determine factors in the yard that are allowing them to thrive using Integrated Pest Management (IPM). And while spraying pesticides that kill the adult mosquitoes, technicians also spray areas of your yard to prevent them from breeding in the first place.
Add Yellow Lighting
Citronella torches are a good idea, but an even better one? Yellow lighting for your patio and porch lights. Unlike white lights, yellow does not attract mosquitoes!
Yellow bug lights are not hard to find; from LED bulbs to outdoor string lights, you can purchase them at Home Depot, Lowes, and Amazon. Plus, yellow creates a softer, more pleasant experience for your family and your guests when outdoors.
Call Certified Pest Control today to protect your home from mosquitoes!
