Kick Up Your Mosquito Control With These Effective Prevention Tips

Spring is just around the corner in Forney, Texas! And while most of us like the return of warmer weather and more extended daylight, we could certainly do without those annoying mosquitoes. They cause red itchy bites, annoy our pets and carry harmful diseases. Unfortunately, these survivalists are often ahead of the game. And while we can’t eliminate them entirely, there are things we can do to make our home and landscape less attractive, thus reducing their populations. Read on and discover a few well-known tips for preventing mosquitoes from ruining this year’s outdoor fun.

Locate and Remove Standing Water

To reduce mosquitoes from taking over your Forney property, you must first fully understand their behavior. Female mosquitoes lay their eggs in pools of standing water. Get rid of standing water and stop the next generation of mosquitoes from breeding. Walk around your yard and dump out any water left behind. Common breeding sites include:

• Flower pots
• Birdbaths
• Rain collectors
• Clogged gutters
• Water features
• Buckets
• Puddles after a heavy rainstorm

How To Get Rid Of Other Types of Standing Water on Your Forney Property

• Don’t overwater your lawn.
• Look for puddles after heavy rain and disperse the water.
• If you have repeated problems with drainage, consider having a professional drain installed to eliminate them.
• Fill in low-lying or uneven areas of your yard to prevent pooling water.

Keep the Grass Mowed and The Tall Brush to a Minimum

Mosquitoes like to hide out and rest in tall grass and brush. Keep bushes and shrubs well-trimmed and mow your grass frequently and keep it as short as your grass type will allow. This will also help keep your flea and tick population down as they too like to hide out in tall, grassy areas.

For Effective Mosquito Control, Keep Your Gutters Clean

Clogged gutters attract mosquitoes and other pests who like to utilize the debris and moisture to nest or breed. Why give these blood-thirsty beings any more opportunities than they need? Keep your gutters clean and ensure your downspouts are strategically located and maintained so that the flow of water is directed away from the area and sufficiently dispersed.

Treat Back Yard Water Features With Bacterial Insecticides

As we mentioned, female mosquitoes use standing water as a breeding ground. But what if you have a calming water feature on your property? The last thing you want to do is get rid of these expensive, eye-catching elements. You don’t have to. Bacterial insecticides can effectively remove mosquito larvae without hurting other wildlife, including birds and fish. They come in forms such as granules and dunks, which dissolve in the water and kill mosquitoes.

Clean Birdbaths on Your Forney Property Weekly

There is no reason to stop helping our feathered friends by ditching your birdbath. While the stagnant water is a great place for mosquitoes to breed, you can help minimize this by changing the water and scrubbing down the bath at least once per week. Bacterial insecticides can also be used for mosquito control, or you can invest in a water agitator, a device that sits inside your birdbath and keeps the water moving. Because if it’s not stagnant, mosquitoes can’t use it for breeding.

For Even More Mosquito Control, Maintain Swimming Pools

Have a swimming pool in your backyard? Lucky you. Monitor the chlorine levels regularly and keep them clean. Adequate water filtration can help keep the swimming water clean and moving. Use a pool cover when not in use to help keep mosquitoes and amphibious wildlife out. If you have a small plastic pool, you will want to keep it covered or drain the water and store it when not in use.

Switch to LED Lighting

There is no doubt about it. Bugs are attracted to light. However, using lights with warmer tones can help keep mosquitoes and other flying insects away. This is because the three primary colors that bugs see are UV, green and blue. Insects are less able to see warmer colors like orange, red and yellow. LED lights attract fewer mosquitoes because they give out warmer tones and emit less heat.

Install an Overhead Fan

While it may sound crazy since mosquitoes have wings and can fly, they are not very good at it. This is why there are typically fewer mosquitoes on windy days. Have a ceiling fan installed on your outdoor patio or put a box fan outside, and the area underneath or surrounding your fan will be mosquito-free.

For the Most Effective Mosquito Control, Call the Experts at Lawns-4-U

To truly protect your family against mosquito-borne diseases, you want the best mosquito control money can buy. At Lawns-4-U, we offer highly effective mosquito control that utilizes a backpack sprayer designed for precise application. It targets the areas where mosquitoes are found most. We also inspect your property for active larvae populations and treat them accordingly. Visit our website to learn more or request a quote today. You can also reach us by phone at 972-859-0658.

For more tips and ideas on how to have the best lawn in Forney, Texas, check out our other blog articles.