Bites, Buzzes, and Slaps. At best mosquitoes are annoying, at worst they keep you from enjoying being outside and end a fun night early. You try to use bug spray, but it never seems to work quite as well as you would like it to. Here are 5 tips from pest experts to avoid mosquito bites!
1. Make Plans For When Mosquitoes Are Least Active
Dealing with mosquitoes is one of the few situations where ‘if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em’ is bad advice! If you’re getting a lot of mosquito bites while in your yard, it may be best to actually plan to be outside when they are inactive. That means avoiding your yard early in the morning and in the evening when mosquitoes are most active. If you make plans to be outside in the afternoon, you’ll avoid them altogether!
Suggestions:
- Mow your lawn in the afternoon instead of in the morning.
- Host your friends and family for an afternoon grill out and save the bonfire for fall.
- If hosting, have a plan for fun indoor activities when mosquitoes start to get bad. You could simply move the conversation inside, watch a movie, play board games, etc.
2. Eliminate Or Avoid Standing Water
The best way to solve most pest issues is to address the problem at its source. For mosquitoes that involves eliminating standing water from your yard. Standing water allows mosquitoes to reproduce, turning a small mosquito presence into a much bigger problem. Additionally, It doesn’t take much water for a mosquito to be able to lay eggs. All it takes is a 1/2″ of water and those eggs will become adults in only 8 to 10 days!
Suggestions:
- Every once in a while take a walk around your yard and try to dump out or remove any standing water.
- Remove, empty, or close any containers that are outside (dog bowls, buckets, tupperware, boxes, watering cans, trash cans, flower pots, etc).
- Make sure to clean/empty birdbaths, pools, and gutters regularly.
3. Wear Clothes That Cover Your Arms and Legs
Despite how when a mosquito consumes a blood meal it’s called a “bite”, mosquitoes don’t actually bite you in a traditional sense. Mosquitoes actually have a straw shaped beak called a “proboscis” that they use to pierce your skin and consume blood. Clothes that are thicker or have more coverage can make this piercing action more difficult and can make it harder for mosquitoes to find you. No matter what clothes you choose, you can get still get bitten by mosquitoes, BUT your choice of clothing can limit your bites.
Suggestions:
- Bring extra clothes if you plan on being outside when mosquito activity is high.
- Wear long sleeves instead of short sleeves and pants instead of shorts.
- Consider what type of material you are wearing.
4. Make Sure Screens and Doors Are Properly Sealed
There are many reasons why pests are attracted to our home: Lighting, abundant food and water, protection from predators, protection from the cold, and other conditions. Oftentimes our home can be more preferable to a pest than its own natural environment. If your home isn’t sealed off from pests, they will find their way in. It’s not a matter of ‘if’ it’s a matter of ‘when’. Fixing entry points such as torn screens, misaligned garage door seals, and doors that don’t shut/seal properly is a tip that applies to almost all pests you are trying to keep out of a home. The best offense is a good defense.
Suggestions:
- Check all of your window and door screens for holes or other damage at least once a year.
- If you can see light coming through an otherwise dark area, pests can get in. This is most helpful for a garage or basement.
- If your screen is damaged, you don’t necessarily have to buy an entire new screen, you can buy a screen repair kit
5. Sign Up For An Adam’s Pest Control Mosquito Plan
The previous 4 tips all revolved around avoiding mosquitoes, but what about eliminating mosquitoes and taking your yard back? That’s where Adam’s Pest Control comes in! Our mosquito service is a monthly plan during mosquito season to eliminate at least 85% percent of your mosquitoes each time we service! No more slapping and swatting, no more buzzing in your ear, and no more calling it an early night due to rampant mosquitoes. Our mosquito service makes being outdoors at your home a much more enjoyable experience for you, your friends, and your family. Get a free estimate today using the button below!
