Mosquitoes
About
Mosquitoes are tricky pests to control, and every homeowner struggles with keeping these flying, biting pests out of their yard. There are several reasons mosquitoes are frustrating to deal with year after year. First, they breed rapidly; the process of an egg developing into a new biting adult only takes eight to ten days. Second, they fly, so unless you have an invisible barrier around your yard, they can move onto your property anytime they want. And lastly, mosquitoes seek out areas of standing water and moisture. Females lay their eggs on top of areas of standing water, so things found in most of our yards like clogged gutters, flowerpots, puddles in the driveway, and yard debris allow water to collect and provide mosquitoes with multiple breeding sites.
Along with being annoying and delivering bites that leave behind red, itchy welts, the biggest reason why mosquitoes are so unwelcome is that they spread diseases and parasites that cause serious illness to people and animals. Female mosquitoes are responsible for the spread of diseases as they feed on the blood of multiple hosts throughout their short lives. In order to complete their life cycle, mosquitoes must acquire protein through human blood and other warm-blooded animals. In the process, it spreads diseases like the West Nile virus, chikungunya virus, dengue fever, malaria, and Zika virus that make people ill worldwide. The mosquito's ability to spread disease is why it is one of the world's most dangerous insects, even though you can squish them with the palm of your hand!
Help make your yard less hospitable to mosquitoes by implementing the following prevention tips.
Plant plants in garden areas that mosquitoes find offensive, like basil, marigolds, and lavender.
Use outdoor fans help to keep mosquitoes away from outdoor sitting and eating areas.
Keep your lawn cut short; mosquitoes like to rest in tall grass.
Regularly clean out gutters to keep rainwater flowing freely through them.
Remove brush piles, unnecessary woodpiles, old tires, and other debris from your yard that can collect standing water.
Store containers upside down when you aren't using them, like buckets, flower pots, wheelbarrows, and wading pools.
Partner with 1 Stop Pest Control so we can perform our monthly services (May-October) to significantly reduce mosquito activity on your Ohio property!