Have mosquitoes taken over your yard?

Getting rid of mosquitoes is a challenge in our warm, humid climate, but professional mosquito control services and your own mosquito prevention efforts can end an infestation. Here’s the most important thing to know: Mosquitoes need just a bit of standing water in which to breed, so your first task is to closely inspect your property for spots where rainwater or water from the sprinkler collects. Frequently replace water in birdbaths and fountains, keep rain gutters clear, and check for water that may be collecting in yard decorations, playsets and toys, and even in plants such as bromeliads. Learn more about eliminating mosquito breeding grounds around your house and how to protect yourself and your family from being bitten.

You expect to encounter mosquitoes outdoors, but when you hear that annoying buzz or suddenly have an itchy bite on your leg while you’re relaxing on the sofa, you wonder how a mosquito got in (and hope there aren’t any more). Mosquitoes get indoors several ways, including hitching a ride in with you or your pets or just taking advantage of a door left ajar for a few seconds. While there may not be much you can do about that, you can check your home for openings that give mosquitoes an opportunity to enter. During mosquito season, take time to check how well sealed your doors and windows are. Pay particular attention to screens—mosquitoes are tiny and don’t need anything more than a little tear in a screen to come in. These maintenance measures can also help keep plenty of other types of pests from entering your home as well.

You should also check for water that shouldn’t be in your home. You may have a plumbing problem, so inspect pipes and faucets for leaks that can provide the standing water that mosquitoes need to breed. Also check trays under indoor plants for standing water, throw out vases of flowers that are long past their prime, and even look inside plants that may be holding a bit of water in their leaves. Mosquitoes will even breed in a rarely used toilet, so be sure to flush those regularly.

If you have a serious indoor mosquito problem, keep in mind that mosquitoes can spread disease. Be sure that any elderly or very young people in your household are protected from being bitten. Use repellents for adults and mosquito-net canopies over the cribs and beds of babies and young children until mosquitoes are eliminated. 

There are chemicals on the market that can help get rid of mosquitoes, but their effectiveness is usually short-lived compared to the products that professional pest control providers have access to. Malathion and permethrin are two of the most popular products available at home and garden stores. These insecticides will work for a few days before breaking down and becoming ineffective. While malathion used in small amounts is not harmful, permethrin is known to be toxic to bees and fish.

At Turner Pest Control, we use the most effective products available to treat your yard for mosquitoes. These products include an insect growth regulator that interrupts the mosquitoes’ breeding cycle and a fast-acting chemical that provides a long-lasting, residual barrier. We make sure to apply these products in the shadiest areas of your yard, focusing on the undersides of foliage where mosquitoes are likely to lay their eggs. Our recurring service—which can be paused in the winter when mosquitoes are less of a threat—is the best way to ensure that the mosquito population in your yard is significantly reduced. We also have a one-time treatment service to ensure your special outdoor occasion is mosquito-free. 

Some types of mosquito trapping devices will kill adult mosquitoes, but they aren’t sustainable solutions for keeping your yard free of mosquitoes and some even attract more bugs than you might otherwise have. A significant reduction in the mosquito population on your property requires a combination of spraying by municipal mosquito control authorities and multiple treatments on your property by pest control pros. At Turner Pest Control, we cover your yard with long-lasting barrier sprays in every spot where mosquitoes hide and breed. Contact us to learn more about how our recurring monthly treatments can stop the breeding cycle! 

Surprisingly, mosquitoes can live for quite awhile indoors, particularly females. Once females have had a meal from you or your pets, they may live for up to 21 days, depending on the species. Males, which don’t deliver those awful bites, may live for only a week or so.

Mosquitoes are some of the most dangerous threats to humans on the planet and can spread diseases at an alarming rate. These diseases include the Zika virus, West Nile virus, dengue fever, malaria, and more.

Turner uses ultra-low volume (ULV) treatments that are applied via backpack mister. We carefully apply fast-acting, long-lasting barriers sprays, concentrating on the undersides of foliage in shady areas where mosquitoes prefer to lay their eggs. In addition to recurring mosquito control service—which you can pause during winter months when these pests are less active—we also offer affordable one-time treatments if you’ve planned an outdoor activity.

There are several steps you can take to keep mosquito populations lower. These include eliminating every source of standing water, no matter how small. Change out water in bird baths frequently, keep vegetation and trash away from any standing water sources that cannot be changed out, stay indoors around dusk and dawn, and make sure screens on doors and windows are in good repair and well sealed. When outdoors, stay covered up with long sleeves and pants, and use repellents on exposed skin.