6 Ways to Deal With Mosquitos

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6 Ways To Deal With Mosquitos

Spring is coming, and summer will be here before we know it. While, for many, this is rightfully a cause for celebration, it also has its own caveats, and the emergence of mosquitos is definitely one of them. Massachusetts has more than enough water to ensure that mosquitoes will always be an annoying problem, and if you’re a homeowner in the Gloucester or Sussex area, you’re probably no stranger to having an abundance of them on your property.

While mosquitos might seem like they have unlimited numbers, there are things you can do to reduce their presence, both on DIY and professional terms. Is it impossible to step outside without being swarmed by mosquitoes? Do you want to take back your yard? Or at the very least, do you want to just be able to spend time outside without being swarmed? Consider putting the following tips into action:

LIMIT THE MOISTURE IN YOUR YARD

Let’s start with the fundamentals. While measures such as bug spray and pest control are effective, the best way to reduce the presence of mosquitoes is to limit how many of these pesky insects even spawn in your lawn in the first place. While mosquitos are capable of traveling over 20 miles from their birthplace, as a general rule of thumb, they will linger around the area they were born if it’s suitable enough for a stable living.

So, here’s how it works — mosquitoes like water. Particularly, mosquito mommies. A mosquito mother will strategically lay her eggs in moisture-heavy spots, as they provide ideal conditions for her larvae to thrive. Unfortunately, the bar isn’t very high for how wet it needs to be, so even a tiny puddle can be good enough. But it gets worse — one mosquito can lay up to 100 or 200 eggs at once. With that being said, it’s easy to see why mosquitos quickly gain the advantage in numbers as the season rolls on.

So, if you want to curb the presence of mosquitoes in your yard, begin by reducing sources of moisture in your yard. There’s not much you can do to fight against dew buildup overnight, but if you have any puddles, cups of water, stray toys with water inside of them, and so on, get rid of ‘em. There’s not a whole lot you can do if you have a water feature in your yard such as a fountain or stream, but if you’re capable of removing a specific concentration of moisture, do it.

SET UP MOSQUITO LANTERNS OR CANDLES

While setting up deliberate kill traps for mosquitoes may feel cruel, desperate times call for desperate measures. There are many different lamps you can get which will attract mosquitoes and then lead them to their untimely demise. It’s no secret that mosquitoes (and insects in general) flock to areas where there is light, so if you have a mosquito yet and haven’t yet employed these devices, it’s about time you do.

One caveat with mosquito lights and lamps is that they’re most effective at dusk and when it’s dark. If there’s an abundance of light outside, it may not attract them as well. Nonetheless, a lot of the best backyard gatherings happen after work when dusk begins, so you can’t go wrong with having these on hand. Mosquito lights usually have zapping mechanisms that fry the mosquitos when they get too close. While very effective, they can certainly be distracting, and a lamp that’s filled to the brim with dead bugs isn’t exactly easy on the eyes.

If you want a more aesthetically pleasing (and humane) option, candles typically have oils that repel mosquitos, such as clove, citronella, lavender, geraniol, lemongrass, and more. If you make a perimeter of these around the area of your yard you spend the most time in, you may just find yourself waking up the next day with less mosquito bites.

USE BUG SPRAY

Bug spray is one of the most tried and true solutions to a mosquito problem. However, these obviously only work on a person-to-person basis, so don’t expect the actual number of mosquitoes in your yard to decrease if you’re using it. Nonetheless, bug spray can be a very effective, albeit temporary solution to your bug problem.

Many people like to use bug spray as a last resort, and we can’t blame them. But spray is smelly and it’s full of bitter chemicals. Even though it’s effective, you can’t really blame someone for not wanting it all over their body. Have you ever rubbed some bug spray on your arms, and then tasted its bitter residue when you’re eating finger foods? Yuck!

DRESS WITH BRIGHT COLORS

Did you know that mosquitoes are attracted to certain types of colors? Indeed, for whatever reason, mosquitoes like to flock to people who are wearing darker clothes. While this isn’t a surefire mechanism to keep the pests away (as there are other attraction factors, such as blood type), it can help.

In a Massachusetts summer, this can be a win-win. We all know dark clothing absorbs sunlight and makes you hotter. If you’re planning on having a lot of backyard gatherings and barbecues, why not put on your white shirt, keeping you cooler and making you less of a target for mosquitoes? In the summertime, white is the new black.

COVER YOURSELF

This may not be your preferred option, but it is still nonetheless an option. Mosquitoes have a harder time penetrating clothing (though they still are very much capable), so if you wear long-sleeve shirts and pants instead of shorts, you’ll have a better time against the little bloodsucking jerks.

This is also a good moment to consider the value of shoes. While you may love your flip flops, Chacos, or open-toed heels, you’re leaving your precious feet open to mosquitoes. Have you ever walked around with mosquito bites covering your feet? Yeah, we’re alright — wearing some shoes is a small price to pay to avoid that kind of suffering.

CALL FOR PROFESSIONAL MOSQUITO TREATMENT

All of the methods above are useful for mitigating mosquito exposure to yourself individually or keeping them at bay in your yard. But if you really want to trim down the actual number of mosquitoes, one of the best things you can do is call for professional mosquito treatment.

There are usually two different types of mosquito treatment services:

One-Time: In a one-time mosquito treatment job, a team of professionals (such as our own at CleanPro) will come to your home and apply all-natural pest-control products to your yard. This will drive mosquitoes away, and keep them far from your yard for a fair amount of time. It’s important to note, however, that mosquitoes are painfully persistent, and they will eventually return. That’s why one-time services are useful if you’re trying to clear your yard out for a specific event, such as a family reunion, wedding, party, and so on.

Monthly: Do you get consistent use out of your yard, instead of just using it as a venue for the occasional gathering? Do you have water features that make it impossible to truly prevent mosquitoes from spawning? If so, monthly treatments are the best option for you. Monthly treatments are exactly what they sound like — a recurring visit from your local pest control professionals who will reapply anti-mosquito products every time they stop by. With monthly visits, the products are reapplied freshly right as the effect from the last treatment is starting to wane. This means that they’re a highly effective long-term option until winter finally comes to strike the pests down.

MOSQUITO PROTECTION AND PEST CONTROL IN GLOUCESTER

At CleanPro, we just so happen to be mosquito control experts. While we usually refer to ourselves as a cleaning service company, we offer countless other services that Massachusetts homeowners need, such as damage restoration, landscaping, renovation, and of course, mosquito and tick control. You can bet we’re every bit as reliable and effective as dedicated pest companies, and if you hire us, we’ll be happy to take care of any other cleaning or home maintenance jobs you might need to be done.

At CleanPro, we use all-natural products to repel mosquitoes, which means that you won’t have to worry about damaging the rest of your yard. We’ve seen some beautiful backyard arrangements in the homes we’ve visited around Gloucester, Essex, and Greater Boston. You can rest easy knowing that our anti-mosquito measures are not pesticides that will affect the ecosystem of your yard.

Are you ready to get started with professional mosquito treatment? Contact us today!

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