Mosquitos: At Home Edition

Obligated to spend more time at home throughout Covid-19 restrictions and remote work orders, many people have found interest in investing in their backyard. Creating an enjoyable outdoor space is not only a fun project, but an opportunity to construct an “outdoor oasis,” a welcome respite from the stressors of pandemic life. Whether you’ve found escape in a DIY pizza oven, a new patio, an inflatable pool or a garden, you’ve probably had to deal with one major drawback: mosquitos.

In the humid heat of midsummer, mosquito populations flourish. States are reporting record-levels of mosquitos following a period of intense rainfall. Indeed, mosquito populations grow exponentially following rainfall, as it only takes several days in standing water for eggs to become larvae, pupa, and then fully-formed adults. Even if you’ve taken some precautions, your new-and-improved backyard can quickly become a mosquito hatchery.

Mosquito Prevention

Trying to get rid of mosquitos can be very exasperating, especially given the sheer amount of pseudo-science buzzing around about “natural” mosquito deterrents, from sticking cloves in limes to a moisturizer lotion. Let’s face it: your essential oil collection probably doesn’t cut it. The best way to really prevent mosquitos is to act early by mosquito-proofing your space. This can entail:

• Regularly removing standing water. Many people think of obvious sources of stagnant water, like ponds or birdbaths, but it can really be anywhere. Flower pots, empty buckets, ashtrays, fire pits, grills, candles, kids’ toys, old tires, soda cans, logs, gutters, dog bowls: anything that can hold water can host mosquitos.
• Cleaning up debris and cutting grass. Piles of brush, the dead leaves from last autumn you never cleared, a fallen tree, tall grass-all lock up moisture and heat, becoming potential mosquito hangouts. Like the little vampires they are, mosquitos want to spend time in these dark, humid spaces.

Spotting A Mosquito Infestation

While the prevention methods listed above may help before you have an actual infestation, they do very little if you’re already struggling with a lot of mosquitos. In this case, contact Black Diamond at 877-DEAD-BUG for a complete inspection and treatment plan. When should you take this step? Any time! But here are some particular red flags:

• You see swarms/clouds of mosquitos.
• There are a lot of mosquitos in your yard, even when you remove standing water.
• There are mosquitos inside of your house.
• You live near a swamp, reservoir, lake, or marsh land that isn’t easily “drainable.”
• You hear a constant buzzing sound.
• You notice that you have a lot of bites, even if you don’t see mosquitos.
• You see mosquitos during the daytime. Mosquitos are most active at dawn/dusk, so seeing them midday can suggest a large population.

Source by David Chapman