Some evenings, all you want to do is enjoy a little relaxation time in your backyard. Maybe you’re grilling some dinner, hanging with friends or family, or even lounging and just enjoying the weather or the birds. You just want some peace and quiet and to destress from the day.
And then they strike. First, you hear the high-pitched whirring near your ears. You might think it’s just the wind. But then it gets more repetitive … and that sound is too annoying to be just the wind. Next, you start swatting and slapping. And then the biting and itching begins. It’s enough to make you want to throw up your hands and just go inside.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are ways to focus on mosquito prevention and mosquito-proof landscaping to regain your outdoor enjoyment.
Mosquitoes are a part of life, unfortunately. But they don’t have to be so bad that you’re walking into a cloud of them every time you go outside.
Mosquito-repellent landscaping can be tricky. There are so many options, and the challenge is knowing which strategies work and which ones don’t.
Let’s look at the ones that have been proven to work and the ones that don’t work as well and why.In a Google search, you’ll find these many mosquito prevention tactics that are touted fairly regularly, so we can see why they might be tempting to try.
Most, however, have been proven ineffective. Let’s look at why these options might be a waste of your hard-earned money.
Mosquitoes enjoy shady areas under plant leaves. They like the darkness, humidity, and moisture these spots provide.
So it seems natural to think that some plants could exist that help. For instance, lemon balm, lemon verbena, lemon thyme, rosemary, and mint have been touted as options that deter mosquitoes. There’s even a lemon-scented geranium that is sold as the best mosquito-repellent plant.
While these herbs have natural scents and their essential oils have mosquito-repellent properties, they aren’t emitted just by sitting in your garden. You must physically move or touch the plant to bring out the fragrance and use the oils to rub on your skin to protect yourself from mosquitoes. You also have to ensure you don’t have any allergies to these specific oils first.
But even if you try to bring out their fragrances, there are no best mosquito-repellent plants that have been scientifically proven to keep pests away.
Bug zappers might seem tempting. Just the name implies that you can easily zap all nearby mosquitoes instantly. Unfortunately, bug zappers are known to kill more beneficial insects than mosquitoes.
A mosquito trap might also be a tempting mosquito prevention tactic, but it actually attracts more mosquitoes to your yard, not less. So, this might also not be a great option for you.
Although mosquito-repellent candles and incense aren’t permanent mosquito prevention tactics, they can provide some backyard relief while you’re outdoors. Many of these products have citronella as their main scent, and some also add peppermint, lemongrass, or cedarwood.
While these products can repel mosquitoes to some degree, the concentration of citronella oil in the candle is usually not highly effective. Additionally, you must be in the path of the candle's smoke, which isn’t always possible for everyone outside.
A fan might be more helpful, as airflow helps eliminate mosquitoes, which are weak fliers and have trouble navigating a breeze.
Since many natural mosquito control options use the same essential oils, such as lemongrass, peppermint, garlic, and rosemary, diluted in water, that are in mosquito repelling candles, it makes you wonder if applying them to mosquito shelters could work as a mosquito prevention tactic.
The natural oils may wash off more quickly, requiring more applications for adequate mosquito control. While this is an option you can try, you may spend more time and money to get any relief. A really bad mosquito problem may require a more targeted and faster approach so you can get back outside.
By understanding how mosquitoes work, you can better comprehend what controls them. For instance, mosquitoes need water to breed; they don’t fly well in the wind, and they like to hide in humid, shady areas. These are some common mosquito facts.
Mosquitoes can be controlled in two ways. You can manage them before they emerge by disturbing their breeding grounds, or you can target mosquito adults.
While the following ideas may seem simple, they have been proven helpful for mosquito prevention and control. Some of them may not have fancy names or catchy slogans, but when it comes to mosquitoes, the simplest solutions are usually the best.
Mosquitoes breed in standing water, so limiting the amount of standing water on your property will help with mosquito prevention.
Here are some ways to manage water collection in your yard:
You usually won’t find mosquitoes hiding in plain sight in open lawn areas unless they are searching for a blood meal, aka you or your family members. However, they prefer dense areas of trees and shrubs mixed with a dose of humidity; those areas usually don’t have much air movement or sunlight.
So, mosquito-proof landscaping involves limiting their hiding spots. Trim and tidy up your trees and shrubs to create nice airflow on your property.
Mosquitoes fly in short spurts before landing and resting, so regular treatments throughout the mosquito season are important for gaining and maintaining control.
By hiring professional mosquito control in Memphis and North Mississippi, you get an experienced technician who understands that regular treatments in mosquito-prone areas using a backpack mister that targets these areas with a fine mist ensures control of mosquito adults and their future eggs.
Mosquitoes can ruin a fun evening in your backyard. The buzzing, biting, risk for disease, and itchy bumps are enough to send anyone running back inside the house and locking the door.
But you don't need to give up on your evenings outdoors. Give us a call, and we’ll share our proven mosquito control experience and give you tips on how to use reliable mosquito prevention tactics that offer real, lasting solutions.
Take back your yard from mosquitoes and eliminate the stress of their onslaught for good so you can enjoy your summer evenings again. Get started today with a free quote. Together, we’ll prepare a customized plan to eliminate mosquitoes for you and your Memphis and North Mississippi landscape.