How to Prepare Your Yard for Mosquito Season
Warmer weather and heavy rains may indicate the coming of spring, but it can also indicate the coming of mosquito season. While there's no official calendar date that marks the beginning of mosquito season, you can expect these flying insects to start stirring when temperatures begin to hit around 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
For some areas, mosquito season may align with the calendar's spring. For others, like hot and humid Florida, mosquito season can reign nearly all year long. Eliminating mosquitoes from your yard is typically not a DIY endeavor, although you can take measures to help prevent their prolific breeding around your home.
Eliminate Standing Water
Standing water is an open invitation for mosquitoes to breed. Melting snow and springtime rains can cause water to build up in any number of items around your yard. Check for stagnant water in birdbaths, trashcan lids, small plastic pools, old tires and other likely areas.
Also check outdoor faucets to ensure they aren't leaking and producing puddles. Even the smallest amount of water can serve as an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes, and any water that's left standing for more than seven days is fair game.
Clear out Drains and Gutters
Since mosquitoes can lay eggs in even the smallest amounts of water, such as the amount you would find in an overturned bottle cap, it's imperative to be diligent when it comes to removing all possible standing water sources. Drains and gutters may have become clogged up with debris over the winter.
When melting snow or rainwater seeps into these spaces, tiny pools of stagnant water can build up. Make sure your drain areas and gutters are free of debris so water can run freely out the spout and down the drain.
Keep Your Yard Maintained
The more scrupulously your yard is maintained, the lower your chances of inadvertently producing inviting areas for mosquitoes. Clear out all debris that could trap and collect stagnant water. Level off any notable dips in your yard to prevent puddles from forming in rainy weather.
Review any water features in your yard, such as ponds and birdbaths. Change the water in birdbaths regularly. Consider adding aerating stones or bubblers in your pond to prevent the water from becoming stagnant.
Consider Professional Assistance
Even with diligent mosquito prevention methods, your yard may still need additional mosquito control at some point in time. Professional mosquito control methods tend to be much more effective than any DIY methods, and you have a variety from which to choose.
Mosquito misting systems can work well in yards by creating a barrier of protection around your home. This barrier can be customized to cover your front yard, backyard, side areas or all of the above.
Mosquito fogging treatments are another way to keep mosquitoes at bay, providing a three-step control plan that can help make outdoor events mosquito-free. For more options and details on other professional mosquito control options, visit MosquitoNix® today.