Over a million people die every year from diseases they get from mosquitoes. Most of these deaths are in tropical areas, but with Zika Virus, West Nile Virus, and Eastern Equine Encephalitis spreading further in the United States, implementing mosquito control is essential for areas plagued by these bloodsuckers.
Image by Mohamed Nuzrath
But if you’re looking to skip on the chemical repellents, there are plenty of natural mosquito control options to help reduce the mosquito population in your yard. Give yourself a healthier summer when you try some of these.
Drain the Swamp
Mosquito young grow in water. Any standing water on your property can attract them and give them a safe place to multiply. This can be as big as a ditch that collects water or a dog bowl you leave outside.
Survey your property for areas where water collects. Cover or irrigate them so that the water cannot pool. This is one of the simplest methods of mosquito control out there.
Exploit Your Ecosystem
Mosquitoes are relatively low on the food chain with plenty of natural predators that can take them out altogether. If you think strategically about mosquito pest control, you’ll realize the enemy of my enemy is my friend.
So invite mosquito predators like bats into your yard. Some birds will go after mosquitoes, too. Hang bat and birdhouses around your yard to make a welcoming home for these helpful predators.
Go Herbal
Some plants repel mosquitoes. Of all the backyard mosquito control systems, this one offers an extra benefit of beautiful flowers like marigolds or useful herbs like catnip.
Fill in your gardening spaces with lavender and lemon balm for an extra shot at repelling pests. As a measure of DIY mosquito control, you can also try burning herbs like these to warn mosquitoes away.
Use Naturally Formulated Repellents
From citronella essential oil candles to herbal sprays, many naturally formulated repellents can give you some protection from mosquitoes without having to use DEET.
Whether you burn the candles on your patio or deck or spray some herbal repellents on your clothing and seating areas, every step you take towards repelling these pests is worth a try.
Plus, most of these smell good!
Burn On
Mosquitoes are not fans of smoke. While you can’t keep a fire going all day round, light up a fire pit or chiminea to smoke out some ‘squitos.
Boost this natural method with some tiki torches surrounding your seating area to improve on your mosquito repulsion.
A Mosquito-Free Summer With Natural Mosquito Control
Kick these bloodsuckers to the curb with natural mosquito control in your own backyard. Safe for kids, pets, and the environment, these approaches can cut down on dangerous mosquito bites without exposing you to any toxic chemical repellent ingredients.
Try out these ideas and see what the best mosquito control for the yard actually is. Learn more about pest control in our other home improvement articles.
