Mosquitoes are irritating pests, but they can also present a threat to you and your family when they’re allowed to come into your yard and breed. If you prevent mosquitoes from breeding in your Phoenix yard, it can have a big impact because most of the mosquitoes that bite you while you’re in your yard are mosquitoes that have hatched in your yard. Mosquitoes are pretty lazy. They don’t fly from yard to yard in search of someone to bite. They usually hang out in the area they hatch. A typical mosquito isn’t likely to travel more than 300 feet in its entire life. This is why controlling breeding sites can reduce mosquitoes and mosquito bites. Here are five tips to help you get control of mosquitoes.
1. Remove Containers
It only takes one inch of water for a mosquito to breed. This can be in anything that captures water. The most obvious is a cup or bowl left outside after a cookout. But there are many, far more subtle containers that can be in your yard, such as a frisbee, old tire, kiddie pool, tarp, or toy truck. Remove these items or dump them out to prevent mosquitoes from developing.
2. Water Sources
It only takes one inch of water for a mosquito to breed. This can be in anything that captures water. The most obvious is a cup or bowl left outside after a cookout. But there are many, far more subtle containers that can be in your yard, such as a frisbee, old tire, kiddie pool, tarp, or toy truck. Remove these items or dump them out to prevent mosquitoes from developing.
3. Remove Puddles
If a puddle is deep enough, and if it sits for more than a week, mosquitoes can use it as a breeding site. Locate puddles and take steps to address the conditions that allow rainwater to stand, such as loosening hardened ground.
4. Address Moisture
Some mosquitoes breed on damp ground. It isn’t enough to just remove water sources around your home. Here are a few ways you can get control of moisture:
Take a look at your gutter system. If you have an obstruction, it can allow rainwater to pour over the side and saturate the ground around your home. It can also act as a container. Clean your gutters and make repairs to your gutter system to prevent oversaturation.
Reduce vegetation in your landscaping to reduce moisture around your home. The removal of plants creates more space between your plants and allows for better airflow. Good airflow helps your topsoil to dry faster.
Water your plants in the early morning. This will allow the sun to dry the topsoil as quickly as possible.
Trim tree canopy. If you have a dense tree canopy, it can prevent the sun from drying the soil near your home. Trim branches to let the sunlight through.
Repair leaks. If water is leaking out of a hose, sprinkler or spigot, it can dampen the soil and cause oversaturation.
5. Personal Prevention
Once you’ve taken steps to address mosquito breeding on your property, it is good to include personal prevention. Here are a few tips to keep mosquitoes from biting you:
Mosquito repellent is the number one way to prevent bites. Apply repellent to your skin or to your clothing. If you don’t want to put chemicals on your skin, there are natural alternatives such as products made with oil of lemon eucalyptus and other natural substances. You may also consider planting mosquito-resistant plants in outdoor recreational areas. Touch those plants to activate the scent, and then rub the oils on your skin and clothing to apply the scent to you. We recommend tea tree, lavender, eucalyptus, and lemon oils to resist mosquitoes.
Wear bright colors to make it more difficult for mosquitoes to target you. Mosquitoes have poor eyesight and must fly low to the ground and use silhouettes to lock on. Bright colors make it harder for mosquitoes to see you.
Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants to give mosquitoes less skin to bite.
Refrain from drinking alcohol when outside. This will attract mosquitoes to you.
Mosquito Control In Phoenix
The best way to get control of mosquitoes in your yard is with Green Home Pest Control. We provide ongoing mosquito treatments that break the cycle of reproduction and eliminate mosquito populations around your home. Reach out to us to request service for your Phoenix home.
 21 years of pest control experience
 Founder and Owner of Green Home Pest Control
 13 year resident of Arizona
