Out of all the pests out there, mosquitoes certainly vie for the top position as the most annoying. They will start showing up in the early spring and stick around until late fall, coming out at dusk to feed on the blood of humans, pets and mammals in general. They will ruin a picnic, an evening on the patio and a good night’s sleep. However, there are things that you, as a property owner, can do to protect yourself against mosquitoes:
Remove any standing water
Standing water is a big draw for mosquitoes – it’s where they lay their eggs. Even a small dish with as little as half of an inch of water is good enough for a mosquito nest. It then takes only ten days to get from egg to adult mosquito. To make matters worse, standing water is very common on many properties, especially during the growing season, when many homeowners will water their gardens.
A quick survey of your yard will reveal numerous sources of standing water including wading pools, animal drinking dishes, bird baths, watering cans and flower pots. Sometimes water can be found in various items on your property. For example, a tire laid on its side may have a decent amount of standing water inside the rim. If you leave a trash bin open during a storm, a puddle can quickly form and be good enough for mosquitoes.
However the good news is that once you remove or replace the standing water, all the mosquito eggs are destroyed. If you regularly check your yard for potential mosquito nests, you can keep your property relatively mosquito-free. If you have pools of standing water that are intentionally left out in the yard, such as is the case with a wading pool or a bird bath, make sure that you replace the water regularly.
Use mosquito repellent when outdoors
If you have a mosquito problem, but you would still like to spend some quality time outdoors, you can protect yourself and your family members from mosquito bites using repellent that contains DEET. For young children that cannot wear bug repellent, you can contact your family physician who can give you product recommendations. Make sure that you follow all the instructions for the repellent.
Get a professional treatment for your property
If you’ve removed all the standing water, and there is still a mosquito problem, you also have the option of having your entire property treated before you have a big event such as an outdoor birthday party or barbecue. In these scenarios it’s a bit difficult to tell everyone that’s invited to wear mosquito repellent. A pest control company will be able to treat your lawn and better identify areas where a mosquito nest may be located. If you are interested in such a treatment, or if you would like a pest control specialist to take a look at your property, contact us today.
