Have you ever stepped out of your Atlanta home and had a dozen mosquitoes start buzzing around you within a few seconds? If so, where do you think those mosquitoes were before you went outside? There is a common misconception that mosquitoes just fly around all day long, moving from yard to yard in search of someone to bite. This is actually not the case. Mosquitoes spend most of their time resting. When you go out into your yard and get swarmed by mosquitoes, you should know that those mosquitoes were probably not flying around before you came out. It is more likely that they were resting. You can also be sure that they didn't zip from your neighbor's yard into yours when you stepped outside. They can't sense you from that distance. The mosquitoes that swarm you and bite you in your yard are mosquitoes that live on your property. The trick to effective mosquito control in Atlanta is addressing breeding sites and resting places.
Breeding Sites
If you want to prevent mosquitoes from breeding in your Atlanta yard, you need to understand what is required for the breeding process. Here are a few factors to consider:
- Most mosquitoes breed in stagnant water, particularly mosquito species that spread Zika virus and malaria.
- Mosquitoes can breed in one inch of water. All they need is an overturned frisbee or a clog in your gutter system.
- It takes a little over a week for mosquitoes to go from egg to adult. If you dump water out before that can happen, you can arrest the development.
- Some mosquito species can lay eggs on damp ground. When you take steps to reduce moist conditions, you deter these mosquitoes from breeding.
Now that you know how mosquitoes breed, let's talk about a few methods that can reduce stagnant water breeding sites and moisture on your property.
- Remove containers that capture rainwater. This can be anything from a cup to the seat of a riding lawnmower. If rainwater is captured and held for a week, mosquitoes can breed in it.
- Alter conditions that can capture rainwater, such as turning kiddie pools over when they're not being used.
- Alter stagnant water conditions, such as installing a circulation pump in a birdbath.
- Clean your gutters and remove any debris and blockages.
- Repair your gutter system to get rid of areas that are broken and leaking.
- Keep your landscaping trimmed and free of unnecessary vegetation. This allows for better airflow and dry conditions above ground.
Food Sources And Resting Places
Before mosquitoes lay eggs in your yard, they're likely to be attracted to your yard by food sources. You might not know this but mosquitoes don't eat blood to survive. Females draw blood for the purpose of reproduction but all mosquitoes eat plant sap and nectar to survive. If you have plants, particularly flowering plants, in your yard, you'll attract mosquitoes. This is even more reason to remove unnecessary vegetation from your landscaping. If you have flowering weeds, they should be your first priority. Pluck those weeds up and get rid of them. When mosquitoes come to feed on plant sap and nectar, they're likely to use your landscaping as a location to rest. Dense vegetation provides many hiding spots to protect mosquitoes from the dying effects of the sun. Thinning your landscaping and keeping it dry above ground, can have a big impact on mosquitoes.
Where Professional Mosquito Control Fits In
Once you've done what you can to reduce breeding sites and food sources, and you've thinned your landscaping so that it is less inviting for mosquitoes to rest on your property, you may be done. This could be enough to bring mosquito activity below your threshold of comfort. But, if you don't want a single mosquito to bite you while you're out in your yard, the only way to do that is to apply mosquito control products. This is where a mosquito control professional can be a big help.
- Larvicides can be introduced to stagnant water and other breeding sites.
- A mist product can be applied to vegetation and key mosquito hiding places around your home to knock down mosquitoes that attempt to rest in your yard. If this eliminates even one female mosquito, it can prevent hundreds of eggs from being laid in your Atlanta yard. The product we use is a long-lasting, fast-acting botanical insecticide spray.
- A misting system can provide ongoing misting to keep your landscaping at peak, mosquito-eliminating performance. This is the right choice if you have many essential conditions on your property for mosquito reproduction.
Get The Control You Want
If you live in Atlanta, reach out to Tuxedo Mosquito Control. We offer one-time treatments in advance of outdoor parties. We have seasonal mosquito service, to give you protection all year long. And, when you want absolute control, we install mosquito misting systems. Connect with us today and let our mosquito control experts guide you in finding the right solution for your property.
What Tuxedo Mosquito Customers Are Saying
Tuxedo Mosquito is the only company we have used to control mosquitos in our yard. The service person sprays our shrubs in the woods behind our home and every shrub and plant in our yard. To the best of our knowledge this is our 9th year using Tuxedo Mosquito. Their service is excellent!!
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