5 Helpful Ways to Keep Mosquitoes Away From Your Porch This Summer
Did you know that there are more than 3,000 species of mosquitoes around the world?
While they're an important part of the circle of life, they can disrupt yours when they begin attacking you at your home. If they're abundant in your area and around your house, you know the nuisance and excessive swatting that they cause.
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Keep reading to find out five tips on how to keep mosquitoes away so that you can enjoy the great outdoors.
Why Should You Keep Mosquitoes Away?
Aside from the fact that mosquitoes are simply annoying, they potentially raise health concerns.
Mosquitoes can transmit diseases like viruses and parasites, such as:
When they bite you or your family, these microscopic lifeforms can make their way into the bloodstream. Most times these symptoms are mild but they can become severe and lead to complications.
On top of that, mosquito bites cause uncomfortable itchiness, redness, and painful swelling as a result of bites. If you scratch these bites, it can cause an open wound and lead to infection or scarring.
To prevent this, be sure to use an antihistamine cream as soon as you're bitten. With small children, you may want to put bandages on bites if there are only a few. If there are more, it may help to put gloves on them to prevent scratching.
You can reduce the number of mosquitoes in your area by following these tips.
Get Rid Of Their Hatching Grounds
Mosquitoes typically lay their eggs in and around water. To keep them from breeding near your house, pour out all standing water. This includes water in pots, drains, and gutters. If there are areas around your home where water pools, consider adding drainage with sand and pebbles.
Unfortunately, you can only do so much if you leave near standing bodies of water like ponds and lakes. If you have a pond in your yard, you may want to add a fountain to provide water flow. Adding fish to the pond is a great idea, too, as many fish eat mosquitoes and their eggs.
Trim The Grass And Bushes
Have you ever wondered how mosquitoes are able to find and bite you?
It's because they're extremely attracted to carbon dioxide (CO2) and all oxygen-using beings put off CO2. While you can't do anything about the CO2 that you put into the environment, you can reduce it in your yard by keeping grass and bushes trimmed.
An added benefit of regular yard grooming is that your plants will be happier, your yard will look better, and you'll notice that there are fewer pests in general.
Consider Natural Repellents
Before trying chemical options, you might as well try the natural options that are available.
Growing various plants naturally ward off mosquitoes with their essential oils and scents. This includes basil, citronella grass, lavender, lemongrass, and rosemary. Consider planting these around your home in the ground or in contained pots to ward off pests.
Alternatively, you can burn mosquito-repellent incense and candles. These typically have citronella in them and keep mosquitos out of the small area surrounding it.
There are also plant extracts that are mosquito-repellent. This includes neem, basil, and lemon eucalyptus. When using these, you'll want to mix the extracts with a carrier oil, like almond, jojoba, or sunflower oil, to create an oily lotion that prevents skin irritation.
You can also use an aromatherapy diffuser to get these oils into the air whenever you're sitting on the porch.
These are good alternatives to using chemical products that may have adverse effects on other living beings, including children.
Make A Few Additions To Your Outside Space
Many people turn to mosquito zappers in hopes of eliminating the swarms around their house. Unfortunately, these can kill other beneficial insects and aren't as effective as they seem.
In fact, some research that mosquitoes and biting gnats only make up 31 percent of the insects killed by zappers. This is because they aren't attracted to the ultraviolet light in the zappers - they're attracted to CO2.
Instead, you can add screens to your porch or put a fan near where you sit, blowing away from your home. Fans work because mosquitos aren't strong fliers and the artificial breeze spreads your body's CO2 emissions into a bigger area. This makes it harder for mosquitos to find and get to you.
If you have trees in your yard, consider adding birdhouses to them. Birds, such as ducks, geese, migratory songbirds, swallows, and terns prey on mosquitoes. By attracting these birds to your property, they can naturally contribute to reducing the population.
If All Else Fails, Call A Professional
Sometimes the only viable option is to call a professional.
Professional mosquito control takes comprehensive measures to significantly reduce the population around your home. Plus, you may be able to get other pest services at the same time.
Pest control, especially for mosquitoes, isn't usually a one-time thing. Although this will require recurring payments, you'll get treatment over a longer period of time. This will provide better results than most one-time efforts.
Rid Your Home Of Mosquitoes
With these tips on how to keep mosquitoes away, you can safely enjoy your outdoor space.
Keep in mind that there isn't one solution that can completely get rid of them. However, you can greatly reduce their presence by following these suggestions.
Keep reading my blog for more ways to enhance your home.