Fighting Mosquitos: Tips And Tricks

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Mosquitoes are horrible creatures. They suck your blood and leave you wondering how to get rid of itchy mosquito bites and can even leave a horrible infection. In the worst-case scenario, you can develop malaria, West Nile virus, Zika virus, and dengue. Whilst you may fantasize about getting rid of all of the mosquitoes in the world, it would actually be terrible for the planet. The best thing to do is to limit their ability to transmit disease and try and repel them by keeping them from your yards and homes. Here are a few ideas on how to do this.

Repelling them

One way to keep your mosquitoes away, rather than just killing them, is to repel them. Repellents make a location of your choice less attractive to mosquitoes. Usual methods such as citronella, lemon eucalyptus, and lavender can keep them away for a while but don’t get rid of them in the long run or keep them under control. You need to find what works for you, citronella for example works great in enclosed spaces but is not helpful in an open space.

Reducing the source

Many species of mosquitoes require standing water to breed, so one of the best ways to stay on top of your mosquito problem is to remove open water-like containers and repair leaks that are near your property. Dumping containers of standing water kills the larvae living in them before they get a chance to mature.

This is not always the case and as such may be undesirable or impractical. Some do not even need water to reproduce so you should work out what kind of mosquitoes are troubling you before attempting to get rid of any open water near your home. 

Predators

An eco-friendly solution is to introduce predators that eat adult mosquitos or infectious agents that harm mosquitoes without affecting other wildlife. For example, most ornamental fish consume mosquito larvae while lizards, geckos, and frogs all eat mosquitoes.

In addition to this, adult mosquitoes are susceptible to infection by fungi. Or you could use the spores of the soil bacteria BTI which leaves the larvae unable to eat. These BTI pellets are readily available at home and gardening stores and are easy to use. 

Chemicals

There are lots of different chemical methods that can deal with mosquitoes without affecting other animals. Chemical attractants can lure mosquitoes to areas that are laced with a hormone released during the egg-laying process. Ovitrap is a dark, water-filled container that can trap mosquitoes and prevent them from escaping. They are effective and affordable. This can be a great way to deal with pesky mosquitoes without affecting other animals. 

Mosquitos

If you are serious about killing or preventing mosquitoes, then you will need to use a variety of methods in combinations with each other to control them. Some of the most effective strategies involve killing the larvae or the breeders. If you live in a wetland area and get a significant influx of mosquitoes from outside your property, then it will be impossible to get rid of them all but you can control your exposure to them.

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