Mosquitoes aren't the kind of insects you want hanging around your Aiken property. They're the trifecta of pests - annoying, dangerous, and hard to eliminate. When you have mosquitoes near your property, you have a lot to lose. Learn how to keep mosquitoes away and enjoy your time outside.
Knowing What Attracts Mosquitoes
If you don't know why mosquitoes are coming to your Aiken property, you can't figure out how to keep them away. With a little knowledge, you may be able to make your home or business less appealing to mosquitoes.
Generally, there are a few reasons mosquitoes may be hanging around your property. First, there's the fact that you have people around. Female mosquitoes need blood to reproduce, so warm bodies attract these Aiken pests. Unfortunately, there's not much you can do about this. As long as you have people in your yard, you could have mosquitoes.
Another factor that attracts mosquitoes is easier to control. Mosquitoes seek out areas of high moisture. If you have a lot of vegetation or puddles in your yard, you should trim it back or remove it completely. Likewise, ponds and puddles may bring these pests onto your property.
Finally, flowers attract mosquitoes. The males seek out nectar from flowers, so your flower garden could be why you have mosquitoes all over your yard. While you love your garden, it's one of the most likely reasons you have pests in your yard.
What To Do For Mosquito Prevention
Now that you know why mosquitoes might be in an Aiken yard, you can understand how you should keep them away. All of the following steps could keep these unwanted pests from getting on your property:
- Remove Standing Water: Even if you don't have a pond in your yard, you could have standing water. Poor drainage, broken gutters, and leaking water hoses cause standing water to accumulate in your yard. Every so often, check your property for water and consider the source. You might need to repair a hose or fix your gutters to stop water from pooling.
- Trim Vegetation: By keeping your vegetation sparse, you limit your chance of an Aiken mosquito encounter. Don't allow your vegetation to grow too much and clean up piles of leaves and branches after you do yard work. If you have flowering plants, keep them far away from your home or business.
- Stay In A Screened Area: Whenever possible, remain in a screened area of your yard. Mosquitoes won't be able to get to you unless you have holes in your screens. Once a month, check your screens for holes and tears and fix them as needed. You should also keep your windows closed or make sure they have well-sealed and fully intact screens on them. If you don't, mosquitoes can come inside and bite you any time of the day or night.
Minimizing Mosquito Bites
Even with the tips above, you could still have mosquitoes in your yard. Keep the bites to a minimum by wearing light-colored clothing and having long sleeves and pants. When you're certain you will encounter mosquitoes, wear an effective bug spray. You can find all types of mosquito repellents at the store, but once with DEET or Picaridin tend to be the most useful.
Of course, you shouldn't have to live in fear of mosquitoes. You could remain indoors or wear bug spray all day long, but you deserve better. Here at Aiken Pest Control, we want your yard to be a safe place. We provide ongoing mosquito treatments to make sure these pests don't cause too much trouble for you.