Everything You Need to Know to Rid Your Yard of Mosquitoes Once and for All
Now that you’ve created a beautiful garden, you’d like to sit out there and actually enjoy your flowers and other plants. But between the buzzing and the biting, the mosquitoes are driving you bonkers—and that's not to mention the diseases they potentially carry, such as West Nile or Zika virus. “Mosquitoes have adapted well to their environment,” says David Price, associate certified entomologist and technical director of pest control company Mosquito Joe. “While the females only live from 32 to 45 days, they can lay 200 eggs over the course of a few days, up to three times in their lifetimes to ensure survival of the next generation.” In fact, the entire mosquito life cycle can be completed in 10 days under favorable conditions.
With those kinds of odds, you’re never going to eliminate every mosquito from your backyard, but you can significantly reduce the nuisance level. Here’s how to decrease the number of annoying mosquitoes in your garden so you can get out there and enjoy it.
Remove standing water to eliminate hidden mosquito breeding places.
Mosquitoes need water to lay their eggs, and it doesn’t have to be much. “Even a bottle-cap sized amount of water is sufficient,” says Price. Any water that sits undisturbed for a few days is welcoming to them. Dump out saucers underneath flower pots, pet bowls, buckets, and kiddie pools. Watch for low spots in the yard where water from rain or irrigation puddles; these should be filled in with soil so water can’t accumulate. Clean gutters so water drains properly, and ensure that rain barrels have covers. Dump out and refill fountains and bird baths every day or so with fresh water, and drill holes in tire swings or recycling bins that are left outdoors.
Trim back overgrown lawns and shrubs.
Mosquitoes don’t like full sun, which will cause them to become dehydrated, so they prefer to hang out in tall grass and shrubs, says Price. Keep your lawn at the appropriate height for your type of grass, and trim bushes, especially near seating areas so they don’t have a place to lie in wait for you.
Run a fan.
Interestingly, mosquitoes are not great fliers, says Price. They can only fly about 1 mph and don’t like wind, which is another reason they like to hang out in protected areas of your yard. “If you set up a fan to run on low every time you’re on the patio to get air circulating, that will help a lot,” says Price. Place a fan at ground level, or install permanent overhead fans in covered porch settings.
Be realistic.
DIY fogging devices can eliminate mosquitoes in an outdoor area temporarily—but you will kill beneficial insects, too, which isn’t the best solution. Or you can hire a mosquito control company for regular applications of other products such as essential oils. As for citronella candles, plants, or other gadgets, they’re not scientifically proven to be effective. In fact, in one study on bug zappers, just .13 percent of the insects killed were female mosquitoes, which are the ones that bite.
Don’t forget the repellent.
If you want a surefire layer of protection, insect repellents are your best bet. Some people really are more attractive to mosquitoes, and researchers still are trying to figure out why. In the meantime, protect yourself by applying repellents that contain 20 to 30 percent DEET. Or try a newer formulation containing picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) on exposed skin. Clothing products with repellents impregnated into the fabric also are available; the protection lasts through many washes. Finally, if you do get bitten, calm the itchiness by applying an ice pack or hydrocortisone cream.
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