How Can I Prevent Mosquitos?

In Florida, the warm temperatures + lots of rainfall = LOTS of mosquitos.

Can I prevent mosquitos and what can you do to rid your yard of these annoying insects? While you may not be able to completely eliminate mosquitoes on your own, there are several things you can do to make your yard less appealing to them. Read on for ideas to help you prepare for fewer mosquitos this year.

A Little About Mosquitos:

• Besides causing a really annoying itch, mosquitos can also transmit diseases like Malaria, Zika and West Nile virus, and spread heartworm to dogs.
• Mosquito bites itch because of an allergic reaction, which is triggered by the insect’s saliva.
• There are four stages in their life cycle: egg, larvae, pupa and adult.
• Only female mosquitos bite people, and it’s because they require protein from blood to be able to reproduce.
• The males survive entirely off plant nectar. Females can also eat nectar, but must have protein to breed,
• After a female bites a human – and leaves them with an itchy bump on their skin – she will look for water to lay her eggs in.
• It takes about two weeks for the eggs to mature into adults.

How Can I Prevent Mosquitos?

In many parts of the U.S., mosquitos are a seasonal pest, and are seen mostly during warm summer months. Since mosquitos love hot, humid weather, Florida has mosquitos throughout most of the year – and not just for a season. So the questions remains, Can I prevent mosquitos.

Eliminate Standing Water Around Your Home

Since mosquitos need water to reproduce, it makes sense that you would want to eliminate all standing water around your home.
Any water that stands for more than a week can become a mosquito breeding ground – they only need a tiny amount of water to breed – and can even lay eggs in a bottle cap-full of water!
You will want to drain any water that accumulates in gutters, birdbaths, trashcan lids, buckets, flowerpots or old tires. Also fill in any holes in your yard that might fill up with rainwater.

REPEL THEM WITH PLANTS

You might wonder if there is a natural way to answer the question, can I prevent mosquitos? There are several plants that mosquitos don’t like, so they act as a natural mosquito repellent. You might want to add some to your landscaping, or in pots on your patio:

• Citronella
• Peppermint
• Lavender
• Marigold
• Basil
• Catnip

You can reduce the number of mosquitos around your home by being diligent about keeping your yard free of standing water, and using plants to repel them.
If you find that your efforts aren’t enough to allow you to enjoy outdoor living bite-free, give us a call so we can evaluate your situation, and provide you with a service plan that can get you back outdoors – without the itch.