How to Keep Mosquitoes Out of Your Yard
Mosquitoes are a summer breeder and in spring lays their eggs. This is why they are common in Central and South Florida as well as the Everglades. They are also common in California, the Pacific Northwest, and elsewhere. While it is difficult to keep them from your garden or yard, there are many ways you can do so. Here are some tips to keep mosquitoes from your garden. You have two options to address this issue: either stop them from living and breeding in your yard or kill them once they are there.
Stopping Mosquito breeding
The first step is to eliminate them physically from the yard. To do this, you must eliminate all water sources that they may have used to survive. You should not allow standing water to enter your yard. The best place for mosquitoes to lay their eggs is in damp places. You should keep any standing water out of your yard. As these insects can also be attracted to standing debris piles, it is important that you get rid of them.
Although most mosquitoes require stagnant water to reproduce, some do not. Therefore, making your yard unattractive to them is the best way to keep them away. This is easiest to do after it rains or after you have used sprinklers and/or hoses. You should thoroughly clean your property and empty any containers containing water. However, you must be thorough. Although mosquitoes prefer water that has been sitting for at least 4 to 5 days, they will breed in water as small as a teaspoon or a full bottle.
The insides of old tires, the nooks and corners in children’s toys and gutters are all places that are often overlooked. Your gutters can become prime mosquito territory if they aren’t kept clean or water collects in them. Clean your gutters or install gutter guards.
Are there places where water is kept intentionally? Your pool and hot tub will remain clean and healthy if they are kept chlorinated. To keep mosquitoes away, your bird bath should be refilled regularly. You can also use agitators to make it more enjoyable. The fish will be able to deal with mosquitoes if your ponds are well-stocked. You can add something to kill them. For example, mosquito Dunks are bacteria that kills mosquito larvae but doesn’t harm other organisms. You can use the mosquito dunks inside a rain barrel if it has a mesh opening to keep bugs out.
How to repel mosquitoes from your yard
Let’s talk about bats. Bats eat mosquitoes. While I don’t recommend that you allow bats to enter your home, it is a good idea to provide them with shelter in the form bat houses. While there’s no guarantee that they will eat your backyard and not those of your neighbors, or that they will eat other insects, more bats on your property should equal less mosquitoes. You can also collect their droppings to fertilize your garden.
What about birds, if bats aren’t your thing? You can attract birds that eat mosquitoes into your yard. Purple martin is the most famous bird to do this. Martins will eat mosquitoes but not in large numbers. However, there are other birds like chickadees and swallows that will also eat flying insects. Make sure your yard is bird-friendly.
Bug lights are a great way to prevent these pests from entering your yard. Bug lights are powered by electricity. The heat of the bug lights will cause them to either become dehydrated or burnt up as they pass on. This is an easy, quick and effective way to get rid of mosquitoes in your yard.
Planting a mosquito barrier in your yard can also help keep mosquitoes away. Mozzies love to grow in areas with lots of standing water. Barriers like water spinach can keep them away from your yard. If you place eggs where there are still living animals, barriers can stop them from reproducing.
An insect repellent is another option. This repellent is an effective way of keeping them out of your yard. But, just like bug lights, you need to put it in an area you intend to keep them out of your yard. You can place this product around your swimming pool, pond, or anywhere they may be able to lay eggs. It is important to consider the weather conditions before you apply insect repellent. Some types may be hazardous in some weather conditions.
Finally, if you want to learn how to keep mosquitoes out of your yard, you need to water often. This can be difficult when you live in a dry area, but even if you live in an area that has a slight humidity, you still need to water. Mosquitoes can survive without food for long periods of time, so you want to make sure that you keep your yard and surrounding areas clean and dry. By keeping up with the water that you use on a regular basis, you will be able to eliminate the breeding grounds for these bugs. This is important in preventing them from ruining your enjoyment of the outdoors.
