Mosquitos are annoying and can be a pretty big health problem in some areas. There are several ways that home and property owners can be proactive about mosquito control.
Mosquitos are one of the best known downsides of summer. They buzz around at barbecues and sporting events,
biting through clothing and giving everyone itchy red bumps. When relaxing at home with family or friends, it's nice to know that you don't have to put up with these pests. While you may not completely eliminate them, their presence can be greatly minimized with effective mosquito control.
First, walk around your property after a rain shower passes or even on a sunny day and see where there's standing water. Any puddle, pond, clogged drainage, or other unmoving water is a breeding ground for mosquitos. One of the simplest thing homeowners can do is to do this examination of their property, which includes taking a look at potted plants and gardens, drain systems, pools, ponds, children's toys, tire swings, play sets, and more. If it can hold water, it's trouble. If it's drillable, drill holes in the bottom of trashcans, buckets, toys other things that hold water. Use common sense for this. Obviously, you shouldn't drill holes in your gutters, but drilling a few holes in the bottom of an outdoor trash can is a wise bet.
Secondly, if you are a pool owner, make sure you keep your huge potential mosquito hatchery chlorinated. Even when you aren't using it, annoying insects are scoping out the vast amounts of water for their offspring. If you have decorative ponds, water fountains or other standing water that you have there for fun, make sure you either keep the water aerated or moving. You can also routinely use insecticides in water to keep larvae away.
Some natural methods include being bat friendly and buying fish that eat insects. Bats love to munch on mosquitos and can be attracted with a nice bat house. These creepy flying creatures will each eat several thousand insects, including mosquitos, per night. You can also buy hungry, bug-eating fish, such as Mosquitofish, Koi, or Shubunkens.
For those who don't want to "do it themselves," a professional can help with mosquito control. A company that specializes in insect repellant may use granular, fogging, spray, or misting systems to help you get your bug problem under control. Granular repellent can be purchased in natural forms, which isn't harmful to children or animals. It's spread around lawns, home perimeters, and patios. Another method is fogging. There are indoor and outdoor versions. This method is thought to be particularly useful for quickly eliminating bugs in peak seasons. Sprays are useful for more targeted elimination. If you notice a certain area attracts more mosquitos than others, you may consider spraying this area down. The last method is a misting system. These come in portable and stationary varieties. These usually mist a few times per day for about 30-45 seconds.
Whether you choose to take mosquito control into your own hands or enlist the help of an experienced professional, get to know the different ways you can get these pests under control and enjoy the summer.
