Mosquitoes in Florida are arguably the peskiest pests homeowners deal with in the summer months. Luckily, there are many ways to prevent mosquitoes inside and outside the home! In this blog, you’ll find tips on removing them from your house and your yard, your options for DIY mosquito control, and the best professional pest control options.
How to Prevent Mosquitoes Indoors
You’re more likely to have a mosquito issue in your yard than in your home itself, but having mosquitoes buzzing around during bedtime can be very annoying. Mosquitoes buzzing around are easier to spot during the day than at night. If it’s getting late and you want to track them down, turn on a lamp, flashlight, or your smartphone and wait for them to be attracted to the light.
Here are the top ways to repel mosquitoes that have already entered your home.
Bug zappers: Safe for the indoors, bug zappers can kill mosquitoes on contact and are a good solution if you are only facing a few stray bugs.
Candles: Burning lavender candles is a natural mosquito repellent that keeps mosquitoes away while making your home smell pleasant.
Essential oils: These may not be as effective as traditional pesticides. Mix a few drops of lavender, lemon, or eucalyptus with one cup of water, pour it into a spray bottle, and shake. Be sure to patch test your oil first, and consult with a medical professional if you have questions.
Mosquito traps: There are several ways you can get a mosquito trap—order one online, buy one from the grocery store or hardware store, or even make your own with sugar water and yeast.
Oscillating fans: Mosquitoes can’t fly well against the wind. Turn your fan on and watch the mosquitoes scatter and ultimately give up.
Avoid scented lotions & body sprays: Although some scents work as a repellent for mosquitoes, other body lotions or perfumes can actually attract these pests. The best way to get rid of mosquitoes is to stay away from sweet perfumes, colognes, body washes or lotions to prevent bites.
Sealing your space: To prevent mosquitoes from entering your home, patch any holes, tears, or gaps in screens and doors. If you can see sunlight in the space around your door, that means it isn’t properly sealed. There’s an easy fix, just purchase a simple door strip.
Identify standing water: If you have indoor plants, the pots may hold water which is a breeding ground for female mosquitoes. Check for leaks around faucets, sinks, bathtubs, etc. and work to fix any areas that lead to stagnant water.
How to Prevent Mosquitoes Outdoors
The most effective methods to get rid of mosquitoes outdoors include:
- Attracting natural predators
- Burning candles
- Eliminating standing water
- Treating pools and ponds
- Regular lawn maintenance
- Mosquito traps
- Outdoor chemical repellents
- Planting natural deterrents
Attract Natural Predators
Many birds are natural mosquito predators, including purple martins, waterfowl, swallows, and migratory songbirds. Setting up bird feeders is a solid step in attracting these birds. Installing a bat house can also help. Bats eat up mosquitoes, but you may not want to attract bats near your home.
If you have a pond, you can benefit from predators like goldfish, koi, and red-eared slider turtles.
Burn Candles
Citronella candles are a long-time fan favorite for repelling mosquitoes. You can buy large ones to place around your yard and ensure mosquitoes will keep their distance.
Eliminate Standing Water
Female mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water, and that’s where their larvae hatch. Empty all stagnant bodies of water you can, like any water that’s pooled in buckets, gutters, ditches, and pet bowls. Make sure to refresh the water in any birdbaths and check to see if your potted plants have enough drainage.
Treat Pools and Ponds
For standing water that you can’t eliminate, apply a larvicide dunk or liquid larvicide and run the filter regularly. To prevent mosquitoes from laying eggs in your pool, be sure to cover the pool at night and during the months when you aren’t using it.
Regular Lawn Maintenance
Mosquitoes like to rest and settle in areas that are cool, damp, and dark. Manicure your lawn, trim trees and shrubs, and make sure your grass isn’t too tall. This will make your yard less hospitable to mosquitoes.
Set a Mosquito Trap
Mosquito traps are a handy way to control your mosquito population. These traps work by mimicking the visual and smell stimuli that attract mosquitoes to humans. There are many varieties of mosquito traps out there. Some work by trapping mosquitoes to a sticky surface, while others electrocute them with an electric grid.
For this method, place your traps in a shady area. You may have to move them around to find the optimal placement for ensnaring mosquitoes. It’s worth noting that different species of mosquitoes react differently to traps, so it’s not a one-size-fits-all remedy.
You can also use a propane mosquito trap, which functions much like an electric zapper without the limitations of a power cord—a great solution for backcountry and off-the-grid excursions.
Apply Chemical Repellents
Applying a chemical insect repellent designed for the outdoors can be very effective in ridding mosquitoes. The best mosquito repellents will protect the perimeters of lawns, backyards, and gardens for up to 8 weeks. You can also spray a traditional, safe repellent on your skin.
Please note that chemical repellents can be dangerous to children, pets and areas of your lawn and garden. You should consider contacting a professional pest control company before applying chemical repellent.
Plant Natural Deterrents
Repelling mosquitoes doesn’t have to be just practical—it can be pretty, too. Planting natural deterrents can spruce up your garden while keeping these prevalent pests away. Consider planting the following to keep mosquitoes away:
- Basil
- Catnip
- Citronella
- Garlic
- Geraniums
- Lavender
- Lemon balm
- Lemongrass
- Marigolds
- Peppermint
- Rosemary
- Sage
Contact a Professional Pest Control Company
There are many misconceptions about how to prevent and control the mosquito population. While the DIY approach can lead to productive short term solutions, it will be most beneficial and effective to hire a professional pest control company, especially if you are being overrun inside or outside of your home.
Mosquitoes are not only annoying, but they carry serious health risks. They reproduce quickly, and in many types of environments. Brock Pest Control can control your mosquitoes to make sure your family stays healthy, and gets to enjoy the outdoors comfortably. We have a specialized mosquito program that dramatically reduces the presence of mosquitoes at your home. We treat the grounds, flower beds, gutters and standing water. Let us make your backyard enjoyable again with our mosquito pest control program.
Take your home and lawn back with Brock Lawn & Pest Control! As a locally owned and operated lawn and pest control company, we proudly serve Florida’s Gulf Coast and northern counties with offices in Panama City, Fort Walton and Panama City Beach.
Have a pest emergency? We provide same day services! Contact our team today.
