That Pesky Mosquito!

No one likes the mosquito. They spread infectious diseases. They bite and their bites can cause us to itch for days at a time.  The bottom line is that they are a nuisance and no one wants them around.  In many communities, the public works department will spray to kill the larvae.  Personal use insecticides can also be used to help control mosquitoes for an event and many professional exterminators can help you come up with a mosquito control solution for your house and lawn.

One of the best ways to control the mosquito population is to control the breeding sites. For homeowners, this is great news because there are some tips you can put into practice today that can help you in the future.  These tips are:

Clean up your back yard. Any old debris that might hold standing water is extremely attractive to female mosquitoes who wish to lay eggs.  This can even include an old soda can or unused flower pot.  Take a walk around your backyard and look for anything that might need thrown out, drained or put up.  Make sure to check your outdoor garbage cans.  If they are holding water, drill a few holds in the bottom or sides to allow the water to drain.

Maintain your house.  Another easy breeding ground are places such as rain gutters, where leaves and debris can gather.  These spots also tend to stay moist when wet, which is attractive to mosquitoes.  Carefully inspect your air conditioner units, septic system, cisterns and all your outdoor faucets to make sure they are not leaking or producing any type of standing water.

Maintain your pools and ponds.  Kiddie pools, decorative ponds or birdbaths can often have water that is stagnant for a large period of time. If you have a one of these items, change the water every week or so if possible.  If you have a decorative fish pond, stop at your fish supply store to research your water treatment options and find out if they sell mosquito-eating fish.

Maintain your trees and shrubs.  That olds stump in the yard may become a mosquito breeding haven.  Old stumps or even holes in trees can hold water or remain very moist for a very long time.  Tree stumps can be removed and tree holes can be treated so that any mosquito eggs or larvae will die.

By taking a few preventative measures, you can greatly reduce the chances that mosquitoes will find your place enticing.  Adding in some citronella candles and using repellent should keep you relatively mosquito free.  However, if you notice that you continue to have lots of mosquito issues, it’s time to call a professional.