Summer in Arkansas means it’s time for warm weather and outdoor adventures! Unfortunately, it also means it’s the return of mosquito season. With Arkansas’s warm, humid weather and abundance of standing water, it is easy to see why this area is a mosquito haven. These pesky bloodsuckers can put a damper on your outdoor activities and make your normally relaxing backyard a nightmare.
In addition to leaving you with ruined plans and itchy bite marks, mosquitoes can transmit diseases like the Zika Virus and West Nile Virus. These diseases can cause sickness or more severe reactions, depending on the person. Though mosquitoes are small insects, it’s crucial to prevent infestations and keep these pests away from your family.
Prevention: Facts
Countless “hacks” online claim to prevent mosquitoes around your person and in your yard. However, many online techniques are a waste of time and money – and could even worsen your pest problems. Instead of trusting hacks to provide release, trust these facts:
- Remove standing water: Stagnant water is a mosquito breeding ground. Female mosquitoes can lay their eggs in the smallest pools of water. Deter mosquitoes from reproducing on your property by emptying water from any containers that collect water, such as buckets, flower pots, kids’ toys, and old tires. Look for any leaky faucets where water can pool below and fix them.
- Use outdoor fans: Mosquitoes are weak fliers and not well-equipped to handle breezy conditions. Adding fans in areas where you spend a lot of time can create a constant breeze that will make it difficult for a mosquito to fly around. Note that fans can reduce the number of mosquitoes in the immediate vicinity, but it won’t eliminate them entirely. Make sure to take other precautionary measures, like removing standing water or using an EPA-approved bug repellent with DEET to protect yourself.
- Add natural predators to your pond: Ponds may be a beautiful landscaping choice, but are also the perfect habitat for mosquitoes to lay their eggs. By adding or attracting natural predators of mosquitoes, you lessen the number of mosquitoes, eggs, or larvae that exist in your yard. Some water-borne predators include fish (such as mosquito fish), koi, and water bugs. Predators in the wild include dragonflies and birds (such as the purple martin and swallow).
Prevention: Fiction
Time spent using ineffective methods of mosquito control is time wasted! If you want to get rid of your mosquito problem, make sure to steer away from methods like the ones below:
- Essential oils: Essential oils have become increasingly popular as a natural mosquito repellant. While some oils like eucalyptus oil have proven to repel some mosquitoes, using essential oils does not provide consistent, effective or all-day mosquito protection. To avoid becoming a mosquito’s snack, use a repellent with DEET or picaridin.
- Coffee Grounds: There’s no direct evidence demonstrating that coffee grounds in water help control mosquito populations. Mosquitoes are indifferent to the scent of coffee, so the grounds are not an effective means to control the population. Instead, add them to your compost bin! Coffee grounds and used filters make great additions into the gardens by providing extra nitrogen.
Professional Mosquito Extermination is Best
DIY mosquito prevention may not be enough to keep mosquitoes out of your yard this summer. The most effective method of mosquito control is by using a trusted exterminator like the professionals at Delta Pest Control! Our experienced technicians will be able to identify areas where you may be unwittingly attracting mosquitoes and keep these buzzing insects out of your yard all summer. Leave these persistent pests to the professionals – call today for a free quote!
