how to prevent mosquito bites Archives | Northwest Exterminating

Mosquito Yard Prep!

Mar 17, 2021 | Mosquito

It’s safe to say that mosquitoes are a major nuisance pest during the spring and summer months. These pests can quickly ruin a backyard barbeque with their incessant swarming and biting of your guests! Before peak mosquito season hits and their activity increases, prep your yard early to prevent mosquitoes.

Eliminate Breeding Sites

The elimination of breeding sites is essential to preventing mosquitoes. Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water. If there has been a recent thunderstorm, it’s likely that objects in your yard are holding water. Items that can hold water include toys, buckets, outdoor pet bowls, and tire swings are all perfect places for mosquitoes to breed. Other objects meant to hold water, such as fountains or birdbaths, can also attract mosquitoes. Removing these objects or making sure to empty them of water will help eliminate the chance of mosquito infestations during the warmer months.

Clean Up Clutter

Leaves and debris after a thunderstorm can cause clogged gutters, resulting in the perfect place to breed mosquitoes. Ensure that your home’s gutters are clear of debris, especially after it’s been raining. Consider installing gutter guards that save you time, reduces the risk of injuries, and helps prevent mosquitoes and other pests. Mosquitoes also like to hide in tall grass and shrubbery. It’s crucial to maintain your grass and shrubs, keeping both trimmed and the grass cut short.

Call the Pros

Mosquito control and prevention can sometimes feel like a never-ending battle. A professional pest control company can provide homeowners with a customized prevention and treatment plan to help eliminate these pests. Being proactive and starting mosquito treatments now will help in controlling mosquitoes during peak season!

Green Mosquito Control: An Eco-Friendly Alternative

Mar 12, 2021 | Going Green, Mosquito

Mosquito season is right around the corner! Heat and humidity during these months combine to provide an ideal environment for mosquitoes to thrive. The season usually starts in the spring and peaks over the summer. Besides leaving behind itchy, red welts, these nuisance pests are dangerous to humans by vectoring serious diseases like Zika virus, West Nile virus, and chikungunya. Fortunately, there are several green pest control options you can utilize as an eco-friendly alternative to control mosquitoes. Here are 3 steps you can take for green mosquito control.

Identify Nesting and Resting Sites

The first step to controlling mosquitoes is identifying and eliminating what attracts them in the first place. Mosquitoes will come around in search of two things: nesting sites and resting sites.

Where do mosquitoes breed? Every species of mosquito lays its eggs in water. While the type of water source may vary between species, it only takes a minute amount of water for mosquitoes to hatch and develop. Get rid of any potential breeding sites by:

Cleaning up debris around your home. Moisture can accumulate under piles of leaves, boards, mulch, rocks, and other outdoor items.
Walking around your yard and identify any items that can hold water – pots, cans, bird baths, lids, toys, and planters. Empty them or store them upside down when not in use.
Inspecting your gutters for clogs and keep them cleaned out. Watch out for sagging gutters or low spots where the water can accumulate.
Repairing any poor drainage sites in your yard as these can lead to standing water. Consider leveling your yard or installing a french drain.

Once mature, adult mosquitoes will often rest in shady areas that are protected from the wind. Some common resting sites include trees, shrubs, potted plants, patios, and front entryways.

Protect Yourself From Bites

Any time you can protect yourself from mosquito bites you should. Prevent mosquito bites by:

Blowing them away. Any breeze above 1 mph will make it difficult for mosquitoes to fly. If you have to spend time outdoors, consider using fans, whether battery powered, plug in or ceiling. Try to keep the air flow from the fans pointed at the lower half of your body as mosquitoes tend to fly closer to the ground to avoid said wind.
Avoiding peak mosquito hours. Mosquitoes tend to feed at dawn and dusk as the wind typically dissipates around these times. Try to stay indoors during these times, especially during the warmer months.
Applying insect repellent before going outdoors. When applying repellent, spray it onto your hands and rub it onto your skin rather than spraying it directly onto the skin. Repellents with DEET block the mosquitoes’ CO2 receptors, making them especially effective.
If you are opposed to DEET, there are other natural mosquito repellents you can use instead.
- Picaridin is CDC approved and the most broadly used repellent outside the United States.
- IR 3535 is CDC approved and also repels deer ticks.
- 2-undecanone is CDC approved and is found naturally in cloves.
- Oil of lemon eucalyptus is CDC approved and has been proven in studies to repel as well as DEET.
- Avon Skin so Soft was shown in a 2015 study to repel mosquitoes for up to 2 hours.
- Permethrin fabric spray can be used on clothes, shoes, tents, and netting.
- Essential oils containing eucalyptus, rosemary, cloves, basil, and peppermint have also been shown to repel mosquitoes and are even used in many commercial products.
Covering up when outdoors. Wear tightly woven, light colored clothing. The synthetic fibers in athletic wear are especially good at repelling mosquitoes. Dark colors stand out to mosquitoes, while lighter colors are less attractive.
Considering the use of plants that repel mosquitoes around your home such as citronella, lavender, lemongrass, marigolds, and basil.

Applying Green Mosquito Treatments

Yards and climates vary across the region so the effectiveness and longevity of mosquito treatments will vary from home to home. Regardless of where you live or what kind of home you have, a green mosquito control program can be effective at helping control mosquito populations. Green mosquito control utilizes eco-friendly products that are just as effective as traditional products.

A complete green reduction program includes monthly mosquito treatments during mosquito season. Green treatments use products that are derived from flowers and botanicals and area only applied to the areas where they are needed instead of over the entire yard. They are effective at reducing both adult and larvae populations.

The green mosquito reduction program includes an inspection to identify resting and nesting sites; larvacide and adulticides to target all aspects of the population; source reduction and elimination by removing any areas of standing water; and a service guarantee where they will come back between treatments if needed, usually at no cost.

If you have a problem with mosquitoes or any other pests, contact a professional pest control company who can provide you with a thorough inspection and the most up to date traditional pest control and green treatment options available for you.