Mosquitoes are a bane to many in summer
Around this time of year, I start hearing the dreaded whine of mosquitoes. I cringe because they seem especially drawn to me instead of others and I end up with many welts during the course of summer. If you are facing the same problem, should you spray for mosquitoes in your yard?
The itchiness of mosquito bites are not the only problem associated with those pests. When these insects suck on a person or animal’s blood, they can receive or transfer diseases like West Nile virus. Control is important to stop the spread of these problems.
The very first thing you need to do is assess whether you are unknowingly providing breeding grounds for mosquitoes. They lay their eggs in still water, so scout around to look for stagnant pools like birdbaths and flowerpot saucers. Make sure your sprinklers are working properly and only shooting onto your lawn and plants. Install bubblers and other devices to agitate the water so that they will reproduce elsewhere.
You can also include plants that deter mosquitoes like lemongrass, basil and citronella. Many of these are herbs and have additional benefits like culinary uses.
When you do decide to spray for mosquitoes, read the directions carefully if doing it yourself and use as little as possible. Consider hiring a licensed professional who is experienced in proper application. Some insecticides kill any insect it comes in contact with and good bugs like bees and butterflies may die too. Clear objects from your yard. You will also want to keep your children and pets away from these areas for at least a few hours to help shield them from the pesticide.
You don’t have to just suffer through a summer full of mosquitoes. Call us if you are interested in a spray for mosquitoes.
Image by Key West Wedding Photography under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License
