Here We Take a Look At The Best Ways To Repel Mosquitoes
The long, lazy summer days mean you and your family will spend more time outdoors soaking up the sun. But there’s one thing most people don’t like about warm weather – mosquitoes. The pesky, little critters not only bite you, but they carry diseases – even serious ones like West Nile Virus. So what can you do to ward them off, so you and your family can enjoy summer in peace? Here are some vital tips on how to repel mosquitos.
Mosquito-Proof Your Home and Yard
After a rainy spring, you can expect a challenging mosquito season. The typical blood-sucking mosquito lays its eggs in pools of standing water. When you remove stagnant water sources from around your home, it reduces the number of baby mosquitoes born in your backyard.
Take a tour of your yard with an eye out for sources of standing water. Remove empty flowerpots, buckets or bottles that hold water or turn them over. Keep trash containers covered so they can’t fill with water. Remove old tires from your yard and fix clogged rain gutters.
If you have pets that drink from an outdoor water bowl, change the water daily. Clean your gutters, and don’t let the grass and vegetation in your yard grow too high. Keep your lawn well-manicured to discourage mosquitoes from hanging around.
If you have a bird bath and or swimming pool, keep it scrupulously clean, and change the water in the bird bath at least once a week. This will eliminate mosquito eggs before they develop into mature, blood-sucking mosquitos. Mosquitoes gravitate towards calm waters, and you can buy a device for bird baths that agitate the water to reduce the risk of mosquitoes laying eggs.
How to Repel Mosquitoes When You’re Outdoors
Once you’ve reduced the mosquito population in your yard, it’s time to arm yourself with personal protection. What fun is summer if you’re afraid to go outside? Mosquitoes are most active at dawn and dusk, so during this time, you can try to avoid being outdoors to reduce your risk of bites.
When you are outdoors, repel mosquitos by wearing loose clothing with long sleeves that are light in color. Also, don’t use any fragranced product before heading outdoors. Mosquitoes are attracted to certain odors and fragrances, even natural ones produced by sweat and skin secretions. Of course, you can’t control your natural body odor, but don’t add to the problem by wearing fragrances.
Until recently, DEET was the only effective mosquito repellent on the market that could repel mosquitos for up to 5 hours. But there are questions about its safety, and it’s not recommended for children, especially those under 2 months old. So, the FDA now endorses two new repellents. These are picaridin-containing repellents, which are safe for children to use, and a product called Repel, a mixture of oil of lemon and eucalyptus. They may be safer options than DEET.
If you plan on sitting out on your front porch during mosquito season, keep a fan running and burn a citronella candle. Citronella only offers mild mosquito repellent benefits, so don’t count on it to keep you bite-free.
What about Mosquitoes Repellent Gadgets?
Mosquitoes zappers can destroy mosquitos, but they kill other insects too – even beneficial ones. Mosquito ultrasound devices that use sounds undetectable to humans to attract mosquitos have not proven to be effective. Mosquito traps help, but they’re not a substitute for wearing mosquito repellent. Use them only in conjunction with other mosquito-control measures.
Now for the best and most effective mosquito control, consider calling in a professional pest control company. A professional company such as NJ Pest Control uses the correct and safe techniques to keep mosquitoes away so you can enjoy your time outside without running in the house during dusk and dawn. Enjoy your favorite fragrance and have peace of mind knowing you are not putting products on your children that may be deemed unsafe in the future.
How to Repel Mosquitoes: The Bottom Line?
It’s a challenge to repel mosquitoes, but by taking a few precautions and using the most effective and safe methods, you can safely enjoy summer while protecting you and your family against mosquito bites and the diseases they carry. So enjoy summer, but do it safely.
Contract NJ Pest Control today to provide safe outdoor yard treatments so you can enjoy your backyard all summer long.
