Michigan summers are all about spending time outdoors and enjoying the company of friends and family. However, the ending of our social gatherings is usually determined by annoying mosquitoes who show up to crash the party. Luckily, there are some proactive steps you can take to eliminate and defend yourself from biting mosquitoes.
Check Your Gutters
Clogged gutters are one of the most overlooked breeding sites for mosquitoes. If you don’t clean your gutters regularly, you might be harboring a mosquito nursery above your head and you might not even know it. When gutters get clogged with leaves and other debris it can back up and turn into toughs of standing water. Make sure you clean your gutters out at least once a year to make sure water is draining and nothing is obstructing the downspout.
Eliminate Other Breeding Areas
Female mosquitoes only need a tiny bit of water to lay her eggs in, turning everyday items around your yard into mosquito hatcheries. If you really want to get serious about mosquitoes then you must eliminate all standing water in your yard. Empty water from trash cans, flower pots, toys, lawn furniture, wheelbarrows, old tires, ditches, and birdbaths.
Clean Your Pools, Ponds, and Fountains
Water features are an important part of your landscape and you may be a bit apprehensive to get rid of it just to cut down on the mosquito population.
However, there is a way you can still enjoy your water features and control mosquitoes at the same time.
- Clean and chlorinate swimming pools regularly.
- Add fish to ponds to eat mosquito eggs and larvae.
- Change the water in your birdbath once a week.
- Add an agitator in fountains and ponds to keep water in motion
Natural Repellants
Natural mosquito repellants are on the rise as people become more aware of the chemicals in traditional mosquito repellants. Some people are allergic to the chemical DEET, used to mask our scents and deter mosquitoes. It turns out that there are natural ways to repel mosquitoes and these methods have been in use for thousands of years.
Natural mosquito-repelling plants include:
- Basil
- Catnip
- Garlic
- Lavender
- Lemon Balm
- Lemongrass
- Marigold
- Neem
- Peppermint
- Rosemary
Make A Mosquito Trap
A mosquito trap is a fun and effective way to combat the mosquito problem in your yard.
The only items you need are:
- Some tape
- Scissors
- Box cutter
- Two-liter soda bottle
- Yeast
- Sugar
- Water
Begin by cutting the top portion off the two-liter where it starts to curve. Then nest the top half into the bottom half, creating a funnel. In a separate bowl, combine one cup of sugar, one teaspoon of yeast, and one cup of hot water. Pour the mixture through the funnel of the trap so it fills up the bottom half of the two-liter. Set the trap outside near your patio and watch how the mosquitoes will be unable to resist the smell of the fermenting concoction. Once inside they won’t be able to escape.
Call The Professionals at Custom Personalized
At Custom Personalized, we can make your summers easier with our mosquito control program . You can choose from five visits, three visits, or a one-time application for graduations, weddings, or other outdoor events.
We don’t just defend lawns, we make them too with our lawn care program , we protect them too. With our flea and tick program, we can make sure nasty deer ticks don’t threaten your family this summer.
Call (800) 570-3313 today and ask about our or leave a message on our site. Follow our blog for more helpful lawn care tips.
