Here in Louisville, KY, the mosquito season can feel somewhat never-ending. Our relatively mild climate can mean mosquitoes linger longer than they do in other parts of the country. That can be frustrating since these pests make it difficult to enjoy time outside.
In fact, Louisville homeowners tell us that mosquitoes aren’t just a nuisance, they’re a major worry. That’s because mosquitoes can potentially transmit dangerous diseases like Zika and West Nile.
If you’re like a lot of people dealing with these biting buggers, you might be wondering how to control mosquitoes in the backyard.
In this article, we’ll cover four key ways to focus on mosquito removal from the yard. These include:
Let’s dive in.
Mosquitoes need water for survival. In particular, mosquitoes need areas of standing water where they can lay their eggs. Larvae will hatch in the water and need it to survive and grow. A cluster of mosquito eggs laid in stagnant water can become biting pests as quickly as five days.
That’s why getting rid of as much standing water around your property as you can is helpful.
Some common areas of standing water on residential properties include:
Unfortunately, the source of stagnant water may not be located on your property, but at a neighbor’s house. This is why professional mosquito control services are also important. We’ll cover that point last.
Clogged gutters are another prime mosquito habitat. For one, clogged gutters can have stagnant water, which can become a breeding site. But they also have dead leaves and other debris that can decay and release nutrients into the water. This can assist with the quick growth of mosquito larvae.
To control mosquitoes in backyard, you’ll definitely want to consider cleaning your gutters. Other pest problems have also been linked to clogged gutters including flies and gnats, both of which also lay their eggs in standing water.
Clogged gutters have even been known to lead to problems with bees, which prefer areas where moisture is available.
Make an effort to periodically clean out your gutters and ensure they are functioning properly. Sometimes, the drainage area for gutters becomes a mosquito zone as well. If you have soggy, swampy grass where the downspouts drain, this could become a mosquito hot spot in the yard.
You might be able to avoid this by extending your gutter downspouts and emptying them into an area further from your home. If your gutters are emptying out right next to a patio or deck, and water is pooling there, there’s a good chance it’s part of your mosquito problem.
People are often surprised to learn that mosquitoes stop often to rest. They do not like just hanging out in open spaces or baking in the sun.
This is why another prime mosquito habitat (after they’ve hatched) is in shrubs, grasses, and landscaping. Overgrown lawns and landscapes, in particular, can become mosquito hot spots.
Keeping your lawn and landscape tidy can therefore have a positive impact on reducing the number of mosquitoes in your yard. While it’s obviously not going to get rid of all of them, it can help with your effort.
Finally, even after implementing the efforts we’ve mentioned above, you’ll still want to consider treating the lawn for mosquitoes. Spraying for mosquitoes around your property is important since mosquitoes can originate from a neighbor’s home.
That means that even if you clean up your landscape and get rid of standing water, you could still have a problem with these buggers. After all, you don’t have control over what your neighbor is doing.
When it comes to choosing a mosquito service, your options are varied.
Successful mosquito control services in Lousiville boils down to targeting areas where mosquitoes tend to hang out.
Although some companies will come in and just blanket-spray everything around your property (because it’s quicker for them), targeted applications are safer and more precise. They’ll also take care of your mosquito problem where it’s at.
Keep in mind this is not a “once-and-done” service. You’ll need to make sure you choose a company that is targeting mosquitoes throughout their entire season.
We commend you for your effort to protect your family from these dangerous pests. To make sure that you choose wisely, you’ll want to do your research and find a company that is committed to effective mosquito control solutions.
At Limbwalker, we got into mosquito control because we found that our customers were not able to fully enjoy their time outside…and mosquitoes were the main culprit. As lovers of the outdoors, we knew that adding mosquito control services would go hand-in-hand with the other tree care and lawn care work that we do.
Once you’ve effectively gotten rid of mosquitoes, only then can you really enjoy the outdoors.
While it might feel like a lot of work to look into your options, it’s worth it to know that you’re going to be happy in the end. And as we said at the start, with a pest as potentially dangerous as the mosquito, you want to feel confident that you are well protected.
We believe that you deserve peace of mind and mosquito control can help you achieve it. We truly want our clients to be able to embrace time outside without the worries.
If you’d like to learn more about mosquito control for your Louisville home, get in touch, get your quote, and get back to enjoying your yard.
