Warm summer weather draws us outside to enjoy our lawns and gardens. But all too often, the bugs drive us right back indoors. Mosquitoes, fleas, ticks, and flies can ruin outdoor gatherings, make yard work miserable, and leave kids and pets with itchy bites. Not to mention the fact that biting insects can carry diseases.
Even if your community sends a mosquito truck through your neighborhood, it’s only going to kill the adult mosquitoes fairly close to the road. If you want to enjoy your summer outdoors, you’ll need another plan for keeping bugs out of the backyard.
Clean Up The Yard
Mosquitoes lay eggs in standing water. Stagnant fish ponds, a forgotten half-full watering can, flower pot trays, clogged gutters – anything that holds water can become a prime breeding ground.
If you get rid of the places mosquito larvae can grow, you’ll drastically cut down on the number of mosquitoes in your yard. Remove as much standing water as you can and add bubblers and fountains to things like goldfish ponds and birdbaths to keep the water moving.
Mosquitoes and other unwanted bugs tend to hide in dense leafy plants and damp shady areas of the yard. Keeping things trimmed up and cutting the grass regularly can help cut back on the mosquito problem. But it won’t be enough on its own.
Use Repellents
Using insect repellents on your skin and clothing when you go outside is always an option. Your best bets are sprays or lotions containing DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus. Be sure to apply and reapply the repellents as directed and check labels carefully to see if there are special instructions for using with kids.
You’ll also see natural repellents like plants and candles recommended for scaring off mosquitoes. Plants like citronella, lavender, basil, lemon balm, and catnip have a strong scent that can repel mosquitoes, but they only work if you bruise the leaves to release the scent. Burning candles containing geraniol can also help keep unwanted insects away for a short time.
Get Some Help
Even if you could completely get rid of mosquito hiding places and breeding grounds on your property (which is well-nigh impossible), you can’t control mosquitoes coming in from neighboring properties. Repellents aren’t always 100% effective and you might not want to mess with them all the time. You’re going to need some outside help if you want a bug-free yard.
We recommend Mosquito Joe of North Dallas. They’re more reliable than even the best DIY practices and they offer a 100% money-back guarantee. They’ll come to your home and assess your specific bug problem, then customize the treatment to fit your home’s exact needs. Their standard barrier spray treatment is effective on mosquitoes and also takes care of fleas, ticks and some flies. Give them a call, then get back out there and enjoy your bug-free yard.
