Summer is about getting together with friends and family in a fun celebration of the season. Unfortunately, this is a tradition that is often interrupted by uninvited pests like mosquitoes. These insects can make happy guests itchy and miserable and leave them wanting to stay inside instead of enjoying the outdoors.
A mosquito problem is certainly an issue that needs to be solved before the season of summer parties comes into full swing. Don’t rely on Roundup or other chemicals to rid your yard of pests, as pesticides can be harmful to you and your family and contaminate the local water supply. Here are five organic methods to use to keep mosquitoes away from your summer gatherings:
Flowering plants will attract mosquitoes to your yard, since male mosquitoes only feed on nectar. Female mosquitoes can supplement their blood-based diet with nectar also, so growing plants that repel mosquitoes next to flowering plants will help keep the pests away. Onions are a known mosquito repellant. Planting a few onions in your flower beds may help keep more mosquitoes away from your yard.
Garlic’s strong odor and organic chemical compounds are what make it such a good mosquito deterrent. There are several ways that garlic can be used to repel mosquitoes from your yard. Buying or making a garlic spray is the most common option, since the spray helps form a natural barrier against mosquitoes in the area in which it is applied. Eating more garlic and applying a garlic gel to your skin have also proven to work, though these choices may not be the most friendly option for socializing!
Mosquitoes use stagnant water as their breeding grounds. Sometimes female mosquitoes can lay up to 100 eggs at a time, and a mosquito larvae can grow into an adult in as little as four days. This expedient life cycle is the reason why removing standing water around your home and community is important. Keep buckets dry and change the water in bird baths regularly. Water fixtures should always stay moving to deter mosquitoes from laying eggs in them. Check out our post on getting your yard ready for outdoor gatherings for more ways to prepare to have friends and family over for a BBQ or outdoor party.
If mosquitoes have invaded your yard even after your best efforts to deter them, entice the mosquitoes’ natural predators to make the pests steer clear of your summer BBQs and parties. Dragonflies can consume hundreds of mosquitoes in a single day. If you have a pond, keep fish, frogs, and ducks away to encourage dragonflies settling down in your yard. Install bird baths and water fountains to attract mosquito-eating birds like swallows and yellow warblers.
Deter mosquitoes from your yard by using citronella, an oil that, when burned, sets off a pleasant odor that mosquitoes avoid. Create a soothing ambiance at your party by surrounding your patio with citronella-burning tiki torches and placing lit citronella candles on your tables. Friends and family will appreciate the warm atmosphere and enjoy the summer night without fear of obtaining itchy mosquito bites.
Keep guests happy, itch-free, and loving the outdoors with these organic mosquito control methods. Mosquitoes don’t have to be a constant annoyance during the summer season of BBQs and outdoor gatherings. If you need assistance to find the right mosquito control method, contact the experts at Moodscapes today for help getting your mosquito problem under control.
Moodscapes LLC is an organic landscape design and service company with a focus on helping you extend your life outdoors to enjoy activities on your own, as a family and with friends. We create opportunities for you to commune with and find joy and peace in nature and to live in an ecologically friendly and healthy environment. Please explore our landscape services and the portfolio that demonstrates many examples of our work.