Over 3,500 mosquitos populate the earth, and 175 of them live in the United States.
Mosquitos are known for ruining summer plans, by causing itchy bumps on the skin while we frantically search the medicine cabinet for relief.
To have a mosquito-free summer, it’s essential to find the best outdoor mosquito control. But what is that and how can you protect your home (and yourself) from mosquitos?
Read on to find out the best ways to get rid of mosquitos this summer!
Why Protect Yourself From Mosquitos
For some people, mosquitos seem like a pesky problem, but other serious implications can occur. Besides producing itchy bumps on the skin, mosquitos carry viruses, like the West Nile Virus and malaria. These viruses are transmitted through the saliva of a mosquito when they bite.
West Nile and Malaria are both extremely serious and must be treated immediately. If left untreated, they could potentially be deadly. Using some form of defense against mosquitos is highly advisable to avoid these situations.
Best Outdoor Mosquito Control
There are many options for home mosquito repellant, but it’s especially to control your environment outdoors. Here are some ways you can shield your home.
Backyard Mosquito Spray
Mosquito sprays are designed to kills mosquitos that make your home their home. Spraying the perimeter of your home and other shrubs, bushes, and other plants will discourage mosquitos from lingering around. During the daytime is the best time to spray.
Candles
Besides adding a soothing ambiance to your outdoor environment, candles can ward off mosquitos. Not any candles will do, though, as they need to be scented with specific essential oils like citronella, lemongrass, peppermint, cedarwood, and lavender to name a few. Candles work better in smaller environments.
Thermacell Radius Zone Mosquito Repellent
With six-hour battery life, this device comes with cartridges that repel mosquitos for 40 hours. Easy to use and effective, the Thermacell Radius Zone is portable and comes with an automatic shut-off timer to ease your mind.
Traps
Traps are work well to catch mosquitos. They give off scents that are similar to humans, luring the mosquitos into the trap. Traps work best when combined with other methods of mosquito control.
Repelling Coils
Similar to candles and budget-friendly, mosquito repelling coils are lit and produce a smoke that prevents mosquitos.
Watch Out For Standing Water and Other Yard Debris
Standing water is breeding ground for mosquitos, so eliminate any areas you see that have water. This could be flower pots, children’s toys, cans – or anything that holds water. Emptying it after rainfall can go a long way from having mosquitos lay their eggs.
Water is not the only place the mosquitos lay eggs. Other moist, damp areas are hospitable for mosquito eggs, such as decomposing materials or leaves. The shade is also attractive to mosquitos as well, so keeps as much sunlight as possible in your yard.
Enjoy coffee in the morning? Save the grounds and sprinkle them in your yard or standing water, as the coffee grounds dispell mosquitos.
Plant Mosquito-Repelling Plants
Certain plants are known to be unfriendly to mosquitos, so consider planting them around your home. Here are a few to get you started:
- Lemon Balm
- Peppermint
- Lavender
- Sage
- Rosemary
- Basil
Several of these plants can be used as herbs for cooking, so they have a dual purpose.
Best Personal Mosquito Control
Sometimes there are times when you cannot control your environment against mosquitos, for example, on a hike or other events where you’ll be outdoors for extended periods. In these cases, you can protect yourself with personal mosquito repellents. Here are a few to choose from.
Spray
A mosquito repellent spray (for humans – not the outdoors!) is one of the best ways to defend yourself from bites. Though there’s some controversy over ingredients in mosquito sprays, DEET is still highly recommended by professionals. If you prefer a more natural solution, look for sprays using natural ingredients and fewer chemicals such as essential oils.
Remember that sprays only last a few hours, so if you’re planning to stay outside for an extended period, be sure to reapply as needed. Add it only to the skin, not clothing, and be sure to wash hands after applying.
Which Repellents Don’t Work?
Sometimes a mosquito repellent works, and sometimes it takes more guesswork to figure out the best method for you or your family. However, there are a few devices that don’t stand up to the test.
Bands
Mosquito repellent bands seem like a great idea, because you don’t have to worry about spraying yourself with anything, but they don’t work well. Consumer Reports did a study and found that when wearing the bands, mosquitos couldn’t resist biting.
Fans
Personal clip-on fans follow the same idea as the bands. However, they’re not as effective as other methods.
Bug Zappers
Despite the popular idea that bug zappers trap and kill many kinds of bugs, they’re worthless against mosquitos. Zappers are designed to catch bugs that don’t bite, so their lure towards mosquitos don’t work, unfortunately.
Mosquito Protection: Takeaway
Summer is meant to be lazy and fun, but mosquitos can quickly ruin your plans. With the best outdoor mosquito control, you can take back your summer and save you and your family from potentially deadly viruses and pesky, itchy bites. Try some of these ideas today and be on your way to a summer without mosquitos.
Do you need more ideas on how to eliminate other pests from your home? Learn all about the services we offer on our website!
- Read about it from us!
- Read about it from the CDC!
- Read about it from Home Depot!
- Read about it from Healthline.com!
- Read about it from NPR!
- Read about it from the EPA!
If you need pest control services for your home or business please visit our site at https://synergy2ms.com. Feel free to read more about us and decide if Synergy² is the right company for you. We have over 270 Five-Star Google reviews for pest control service in the Jackson metro area (Jackson/Madison/Brandon/Ridgeland). Check out our newest location reviews for pest control service in Jackson, MS here!
