We’re so thankful we saw some rain and thundershowers in June, but with rain comes puddles and with puddles comes mosquitoes. Any standing water can become a potential home for these whiny little pests and mosquitoes lay up to 100 eggs at a time! This is why we see an explosion in the population of these little vampires after moderate to heavy rainfall and with the moisture finally in the air, we’ll likely see that increase soon. There are plenty of methods when it comes to dealing with mosquitoes, from homemade concoctions to heavy-duty chemicals, but how competent are those homemade methods? The real question is do DIY mosquito traps and repellents actually work?
Maybe it’s a family recipe or you heard it from your naturalist friend, but DIY mosquito repellent can sound like an old wives tale or something your great-grandmother concocted. Vinegar, peppermint, patchouli, eucalyptus, lemongrass, rosemary, citronella, cinnamon, lavender or catnip are often used in these recipes as a topical spray for your skin. These mixtures typically rely on essential scented oils with a base of coconut oil, vinegar, apple cider vinegar, isopropyl alcohol or witch hazel. Unfortunately with these recipes, not all ingredients are created equally and how well the repellent will function depends on the quality of the products. These can also be difficult to spray around your yard to prevent the blood suckers as you need to be careful of the concentration and thorough application.
DIY traps can help within an immediate vicinity, but traps and zappers won’t ever fully eliminate a population and it’s important to remember that. We can’t eliminate mosquitoes, we can only control their access to us. What you’ll find with DIY traps, whether you found the idea on social media or you heard it from a friend, is that they rely on a lure of CO2 production to attract the mosquito. However, there’s not much in the way of scientific proof that this works to actually trap and reduce the mosquito population and most big fancy traps and zappers you can find at your local hardware store don’t fare much better. The best way to remove a mosquito problem, if it persists to the point where you can hardly spend time outside without being swarmed, is to contact a professional pest control company.
The benefit of hiring a professional to help you with a case of mosquitoes is you can be sure they fully spray all potential breeding sites for mosquitoes, including underneath decks or woodpiles, shady or damp areas, or in amongst leaves and low-hanging tree branches. An expert pest control technician, specifically licensed and trained for exactly this kind of work, will know where and how to apply the pesticide or chemical to do the job right. They’ll also be able to make a plan with you to continue the upkeep in order to protect your yard and your family from these pests!
There are plenty of projects that we can do with a little DIY at home, but when it comes to pest control, you have to be careful with those projects. It can be fulfilling to know you’ve accomplished something on your own, but the do-it-yourself method might prove to be more of a band-aid than a fix. The problem probably will need an expert solution. Don’t be afraid to give us a call at 403.262.1666 if you need help with a mosquito problem! We’re here to help!
