As the temperature rises with the advent of spring, along come all the spring-like things we so enjoy – a delicious dinner on the back patio…firing up the grill for the first time after a long winter…and the anticipation of summer just around the corner. Unfortunately, along with the changing season comes another change – one… then two… then what seems like hundreds of mosquitoes invading your yard. It’s quite hard to enjoy the warmer weather when you’re being eating alive by blood-sucking pests. Here are some tips to stop mosquitoes from taking over your yard as temps rise:
1. Eliminate Standing Water
Mosquitos lay their eggs in water and spend several stages of their life cycle there. If you eliminate their breeding grounds, you will significantly lower the number of mosquitoes hanging around to “bug” you. Standing water is also a source of food for mosquitoes – they love to chow down on tiny particles floating around in the water almost as much as they love a blood meal.
- Clean out gutters so water flows properly
- Turn over toys and other yard items that may collect water during a lovely spring rain
- Install a french drain if necessary to prevent standing water due to drainage issues on the property
- Make sure trash cans are covered so water can’t collect inside
- Drain and replace birdbath and pet water regularly so it doesn’t become stagnant
2. Use Natural Herbs and Oils as a Repellent
Burning a citronella candle near you while outside is probably the most well-known way to repel mosquitoes from a certain area. However, they also do not like lemongrass, chrysanthemum, basil, garlic, and lavender…just to name a few. Spruce up that garden and deter mosquitoes at the same time – it’s a win-win!
3. Keep Your Yard Tended Properly
It’s probably time to do it anyway with spring in the air…so fire up the lawnmower and crank up the weed-whacker to get that yard cleaned up! Trimming branches eliminates the cool, shady places where mosquitoes like to hang out. Keeping the grass cut allows plenty of sunlight through to dry up wet patches that might attract more of the little flying pests.
4. Hire a Professional Trained in Mosquito Suppression
While it’s important that you do your part in preventing mosquitoes from taking over your yard, sometimes the best thing you can do is call a professional. If the problem is getting out of control, it’s time to schedule an appointment with a pest control service to discuss options for mosquito suppression.
Mosquitoes are not just an inconvenience during your lovely outdoor barbecue or your time spent soaking up the warm rays of spring sunshine… they have the potential to carry diseases that can be extremely harmful to you and your loved ones. So why wait? Call San Joaquin Pest Control today if you live in the San Joaquin Valley – their well-trained professionals will know just what to do to stop mosquitoes from taking over your yard as temps rise this spring.
