You may enjoy gardening, but this activity becomes far less pleasurable when you hear the foreboding whine of a mosquito’s wings. Gloves, a hat and bug repellent may offer some relief. Nonetheless, it only takes one bite to trigger hours of itching. To get rid of mosquitoes, check your garden for these common mosquito attractions:
1. Containers
Buckets and pots can turn into insect breeding grounds when they hold stagnant water. Mosquitoes must have water in order to complete their life cycle, and they can breed in as little as a half-inch of resting water. It takes as little as four days for standing water to host multiple broods of quickly-maturing (and biting) mosquitoes. Remember to store any objects that can collect water indoors or turn them over before you leave the garden.
2. Bird Bath
You may reduce the mosquito population by attracting songbirds and other predators. However, bothersome bugs will lay eggs in a bird bath if the same water remains in place for days at a time. Female mosquitoes can lay up to 300 eggs at a time, and can have as many as ten broods in their lifetime. Those young mosquitoes can have broods of their own within two weeks. Assuming half of the 300 original eggs are female, within two weeks you have up to 45,000 eggs. Letting stagnant water rest for even a few days can cause an exponential explosion in your garden’s mosquito population.
3. Pond
A small body of water can beautify your garden. The problem is that these ponds often become stagnant and draw pests. You can get rid of mosquitoes by adding a fountain pump or using mosquito dunks. You might even consider adding certain types of fish known for eating mosquito larvae to cut down on mosquito problems in your garden water features.
4. Gutters
If your garden is located near a house, barn or garage, the building’s rain gutters may attract bugs to the area. Remember to clean your gutters regularly as leaves and debris build-up will cause water to collect and stagnate. By preventing murky water from accumulating in clogged troughs, you’ll make your gutters an inhospitable place for young mosquitoes.
5. Lighting
Does your garden feature electric lights? If so, they might make it more appealing for mosquitoes and other pests. You could solve this problem by installing yellow sodium-vapor bulbs. They draw fewer insects, especially if you use low-wattage units that produce less heat.
6. Tarps
If you keep a wheelbarrow or tools under a tarpaulin, don’t let it collect water. Try to flatten any depressions or folds before they become mosquito breeding grounds, and use nylon straps or bungee cords to secure the tarp in a way that sheds rain water.
7. Puddles
Check your garden and the surrounding land for persistent puddles. If they still contain water more than three days after it rains, you should plan a regrading project or use landscaping to eliminate this low-lying water collector.
8. Colors
White, yellow, dark blue, bright red and black objects appeal to mosquitoes. Think about repainting such items and avoiding clothes that feature these colors. Mosquitoes show less interest in olive green, tan and gray surfaces.
9. Stumps
If a bygone tree left a stump or hole behind, it could draw this pest to your gardening area. Be sure to fill any holes and completely remove stumps in places with large mosquito populations.
10. Flowers
This irritating insect doesn’t only gain sustenance from mammals’ blood. It also feeds on the nectar of various plants. Orchids frequently provide a food source for mosquitoes, according to National Geographic.
11. Weeds, Tall Grass, & Brush
While mosquitoes do not lay eggs in grass or weeds, they do frequently hide in areas where there is tall grass, weeds, and brush that is unlikely to be disturbed during the daylight hours. Around dawn and dusk these biting creatures come out to feed. While it may not be as important as limiting standing water, mowing tall weeds and grass and removing any piles of brush can remove any safe harbors for mosquitoes in your yard.
We certainly don’t encourage you to uproot flowers as a method of mosquito control. If this pest remains prevalent despite your efforts to remove standing water, a skillful exterminator can help. Turn to Burns Pest Elimination when you need fast, effective mosquito control. To get started, please contact us in Las Vegas, Phoenix or Tucson.
