Mosquito Control and Treatment

Mosquito Treatment | How To Get Rid Of Mosquitoes

Is the mosquito your State Bird ? :=)

Mosquito Treatment

I will list a number of ways to control or get rid of mosquitoes, including natural and other treatments.

But first, know this: Mosquito control is mostly related with WATER. Mosquitoes lay their eggs on standing water or damp soil. They thrive in wet, moist, damp conditions.

How long does it take for a mosquito to hatch?

The mosquito transitions from larvae to pupa to adult as soon as 4 days! For mosquito control, remove the conditions which enable their ability to thrive. Follow these suggestions:

How to Get Rid of Mosquitoes

Eliminate Pooling Water

Check everything and anything in the yard for pooling of water. Remove, turn over, or regularly clean objects that allow water to pool. Bird baths – clean them regularly. Don’t leave buckets, toy pools, toys, pots, gardening items that collect water, or any other container to sit outside where they can collect water.

Keep the Grass Mowed Short

 Mow the grass fairly short because deep tall grass enables an ideal moist breeding ground for the mosquito. This makes a big difference!

Cut Out Low Hanging Tree Branches

Some trees (such as a Spruce tree) puts out low branches right to ground level. Mosquitoes love it in there! Trim off the low branches to create at least several feet of air-gap to the ground.

Trim Back your Shrubs

Shrubs and overhanging vegetation. Trim it! Again, mosquitoes like damp places and will thrive on damp ground beneath vegetation.

Keep Your Gutters Clean of Debris

When rain gutters accumulate leaves and debris, they become breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Clean them out once a year.

Stop Dripping Water

Stop leaks and drips of water from outdoor taps or hoses. Replace O-rings or valve seats to stop the drip. The constant slow leak or drip will create a moist habitat for breeding mosquitoes.

Improve Drainage

Identify areas with poor drainage after a rain. You may be able to improve the situation. This will depend of course on your own landscape.

Check Air Conditioner Drainage

Make sure that water is not pooling at the bottom of the A/C unit and that it’s draining well. Properly mounted window A/C units are slightly pitched so that water drains out the back. Sometimes the bottom tray gets filled with gunk and blocks the drain holes.

Stagnant Swimming Pool

Don’t allow water to become stagnant in a swimming pool. Empty the water from kiddie pools when not in use. For larger swimming pools, be sure to run the filter long enough each day. Chlorinate the pool! A algae green pool becomes a massive breeding area for mosquitoes!

Small Pond on the Property?

Active ponds with fish will provide a better ecosystem to self-regulate mosquitoes. If a pond is very stagnant and without fish or other predators that will eat mosquito larvae, watch out – get ready to be eaten alive.

Bat House for Mosquito Control

How many mosquitoes do bats eat? Incredibly, a bat can eat up to 1,200 mosquitoes an hour and 6,000 to 8,000 insects each night!! This sounds like a great method of mosquito treatment!

Dump Water Every 4 Days

If your environment requires that you keep standing water (feeding troughs, bowls, etc..) then be sure to empty them every 4 days to destroy the mosquito larvae.

Mosquito Removal by Other Methods

Tried all the natural ways of control? Okay, time for next level mosquito treatment…

Neutrogena Body Sesame Oil

“Years ago I lived on an island and we were chewed for food by the mosquitoes every evening. A girlfriend had received a gift of bath goodies for Christmas and tried out the Neutrogena light sesame body oil. No bites. I tried it – no bites. Our friends tried it – no bites. Just a spritz and a shmear after a shower seems to do the trick.”

(view product on amzn)

Commenter here on the blog, “Anony Mee”

Mosquito Dunks

They are little doughnut shaped rings to place in standing water (small ponds, hydroponic systems, animal water troughs, bird baths, etc..). The dunks will eliminate mosquito larvae for about 30 days. It’s harmless to other forms of life.

Mosquito Dunks
(amzn)

Bug Zapper

You can hardly beat a good old electric bug zapper! Install it at least 25 feet away from where you might be in the evening (so you’re not part of the mosquito party).

#1 Best Seller ZAPPER on Amzn

Insect Repellent for Clothing

I have been using Permethrin for a number of years with great success. It is designed to spray on your clothes. It does not stain. No smell or residue. But it will keep the skeeters from biting through your clothes!

 Tip: Spray Permethrin on a ball cap – helps keep them away from your head!

Permethrin – Best for Clothing Insect Repellent
(view on amzn)

[ Read: How to use Permethrin ]

Insect Repellent for your Skin

I have discovered what works best for me. It’s called Picaridin. You need to check this out. Consumer Reports rated on its list of safe insect repellents.

Picaridin – The Best!
(amzn)

Lawn Treatment for Mosquito Control

Use a lawn spreader to spread insect killer granules. You can get this at nearly any hardware store or Big Box store, Home Depot, etc.. It makes a big difference. You can also get this stuff in a hose spray attachment too.

 
[ Read: 8 Things That Attract Mosquitoes ]

Any other ideas for mosquito treatment and control?

46 Comments

  1. I have found a great way to keep mosquitoes from biting me. Rub crushed Beauty Berry leaves on your skin to repel mosquitoes, ticks, gnats, chiggers, etc. Insects love to bite me but will not even get on me with Beauty Berry rubbed on. The US Dept. of Agriculture had a report in 2006 that said Beauty Berry was as effective as Deet. They grow in the wild but can also be bought from nurseries under the name American Beauty Berry. I wish this format allow me to post a picture but you can google it instead.

    1. Down here in FL we have native beauty berry growing in the backyard all over. The stuff stinks real good when you rub it on you. Its an evergreen down here fruiting 2x per year. I am thinking about planting some in and around the garden to help with insect control.

    2. Beauty Berry, very interesting. Thanks for the info. Apparently the USDA has patented one of the
      components of the berry for repellent, per Wikipedia.

  2. I have a question, maybe the MSB family can help. I feel like I have to choose between bug repellent and sun screen. I have fair skin and a family history of melanoma, so I generally go with sun screen. The ticks are mad crazy this year, it is driving my bat crap crazy, any suggestions would be hugely appreciated. Thanks in advance.

    1. KevinH long pants, tucked in to your socks, long sleeve shirt, brimmed hat (Not Baseball). Melanoma is no joke and expensive to treat even with insurance. Thus SPF clothing is my suggestion.

      I find the Insect repellents listed up above work well. If allergic a dryer sheet half in each pants leg keeps ticks from attaching for me. One sheet lasts several days before I misplace it.

      When you go back inside have a place for your shoes to stay, a laundry hamper for your clothing as I HATE finding a tick in my favorite chair’s fabric. Makes me itch wondering if that’s another tick crawling on me.. I take a shower ASAP as soap and water flushes any unattached ticks off. Yes, I’ve seen them before they swirled down the drain. If you plan on wearing that clothing again before laundry run it through a hot dryer. I’ve found dehydrated ticks in the lint trap.

      1. I almost always wear long pants, and I either blouse the legs or wear gaiters. I am thinking I may buy some Permethrin and treat my boots and pants…my dog brings them into the house, she is treated and they only hitch a ride inside and lurk, waiting for my wife or I…evil little bastards.

      1. … re: skin so soft…make sure you are not allergic to it before you stock up,,, some ppl are allergic to this product,

  3. I have several tires stacked behind the garage. They hold water and are a breeding ground for mosquitos. About once a month I spray them with bug killer and it solves the problem. You will know when it’s time to spray again. Skeeters will get thick in a hurry but within a day or two of spraying they will be gone again. DW is an insect banquet table but I am one of the fortunate ones because bugs don’t bother me very much. But I don’t wear any smell good perfumey stuff.

    1. you could use/ spray any rancid cooking oil or canola in tires and it will not wear off. also can place on top of any thing that hold water… can swoosh it aside, or off top if need to use the water.

  4. It does not seem to matter what we do. These darn Texas mosquitoes are relentless. We are beyond frustrated. We have tried so many different things and still get eaten up when we go outside.

  5. Years ago I lived on an island and we were chewed for food by the mosquitoes every evening. A girlfriend had received a gift of bath goodies for Christmas and tried out the Neutrogena light sesame body oil. No bites. I tried it – no bites. Our friends tried it – no bites. I bought the Walmart in-house brand (unfortunately not made anymore) – no bites. Just a spritz and a shmear after a shower seems to do the trick.

    At the farm now I got rid of standing water and covered the “yard” around the house with cedar chips. Mozzies have declined from swarms to hardly noticeable. If I was to sit outside elsewhere I’d use the sesame body oil.

  6. All the above plus a fogger. Kinda spoils the area for a few hours (just stay away), but is quite effective.

  7. We’ve always had good results with Skin So Soft which was not originally marketed as a repellent but was noticed to be effective. I don’t know if they have added anything to the formula but it is now sold as such.

    1. 40 years ago, we gave Avon Skin So Soft to our men before they went into the field for maneuvers when we lived down south. We always thought it was hilarious but it worked. Not sure if the formula is the same now. It seemed to work well against chiggers and other little biters as well.

  8. – Citronella plants grow wild around this part of Texas; I transplanted a couple of wild ones to the backyard. Crush a handful of leaves, just leave them on the plant. Mosquitoes don’t like the citrusy smell and will stay away for the evening. Doesn’t seem to bother the plant either. Repeat as necessary.

    – Papa S.

    1. We can’t do the citronella plants because we have dogs. I have thought about trying hanging some citronella plants around the porch. I am just afraid of some of it falling and the dogs eating it.

      1. – Texasgirl,
        Do what you must. FWIW. Daisy , my Lab/Boxer mix, will sneeze and shake her head if she is exposed/offered the plant by a well-meaning child. She is around it constantly. I have more problems with her killing Grackles and leaving them lying around the yard.

        – Papa

  9. Mosquitos;
    Chemical Warfare or Nukes, sometimes both
    End of comment, hehehehe

  10. I have reduced thousands of skeeters to 20 or so in my back yard with a Dynatrap (check it out here on AMZ), not a zapper. Our state bird is the skeeter. A homemade trap can be made with brown sugar and yeast in a Pepsi bottle, but it has no fan or skin attractant like the Dynatrap.

    Sunlight also deters them buggars, like the vampires they are.

    1. I have been wanting a Dynatrap and Mr. doesn’t think we need one. Maybe one will JUST show up! Nice to hear of a real revue. Thanks Star.

      1. – Thanks for the reminder! I have a Dynatrap (pole model) and I need to get it out. Works real well, if you remember to get it out and plug it in. (Not so well sitting in the garage and unplugged from last winter, LOLOL) Typically, I have to dump about a quart of the things every month during the summer. White cabbage flies and an occasional wasp are most of my by-catch.
        – Papa

  11. Been dreading the hatching this year. So far not too bad. Some years can’t even get to the car without getting bit. Now in my ole farm days with not much money we used to take an old piece of shirt and put just a little bit of diesel or gas on them. Tie on the outside of our pants around the ankles. Nothing but nothing would even think about crawling up anywhere. It was this or no blackberries! No we did not light any matches!!!
    Mr. also sprinkles this stuff, can by at Lowe’s, it helps with the ground issue. So far kitty cats are ok with it. NOT supposed to be to toxic. We have a bug zapper too.

  12. We do not have many blood suckers and I have a theory why.

    put up many bird houses that are used by swallows every year.
    built a bat house but they still prefer to live on my stucco wall in a sheltered area – I don’t mind.
    feed – nuthatches, chickadees, finches, … but less in spring and summer
    change out the bird bath water every day

    Sitting out, even at dusk, is not a problem – no spray needed.

  13. Bat House. We put one up 3 years ago and have not had any residents. See a bat around the security light sometimes. It is the females that make a colony and have the babies in the spring.
    We did everything right according to our area per the Bat House folks in Pennsylvania.
    No bats. I think there is just too much farming around here. ???

    1. Mrs. USMCBG,
      Why don’t I have bats in my bat house?

      Check out this video to address your question: I came across this while investigating bat houses (‘habitat for bats’). I was surprised at some of what he said, since I just didn’t know. I plant to purchase or build one for my own property (haven’t done it yet).

      https://youtu.be/5f355EtDMAI

    2. Bat house update. Still no bats in residence. sigh… We have one or two that cruise the security light at night. Where they reside is ??? We followed the instructions to a T when putting up the house. oh well, maybe one day

  14. They used to come around my neighborhood to spray for the little demon mosquitos, but I told him not to, because I did not want to kill the birds, along with the demons. I also couldn’t tolerate the harsh chemical smell. Well, now, we have so many of them, we cannot sit out past 5 pm. I feel like a prisoner, unable to sit out in the evening, having to get indoors before they swarm.

    1. Zengirl please GOOGLE homemade Mosquito Traps. I find the instant yeast, 3 liter soda bottle traps work VERY WELL.

  15. I did not knew that the AirCon unit can sometimes have the drainage block and won’t properly drain. I will have to check that out the next time I have a mosquito infestation. I had to call Ivy Green Pest Control for a mosquito misting to get rid of the mosquitoes.

  16. 1 cup Lemon dishsoap
    1 cup Lemon ammonia
    10 gallons of water

    Spray on your lawn or fields, low points and standing water areas.

    Used this recipe for years. Works until it gets rained on.

    1. WB — also close to a recipe for homemade lawn fertilizer I read yrs back…Bet your lawn looks good?

  17. a great mosquito repellent that doesn’t harm plants, animals, humans, or the environment. Use 1 large bottle of (cheap) blue mouthwash, 3 cups of Epsom salt, and three stale 12 oz beers. Mix them together until the salt is dissolved and then spray on your lawn or deck.

    1. Thanks for the home remedy for mosquitoes! “Stale” beers? (grin)

  18. Prairie Girl, Might take a gander here. I still swear by light sesame body oil.

  19. Timely article! We had zero mosquitoes for several weeks, as we had little to no rain. Then we had several heavy downpours for about a week. The mosquitoes are out with a vengeance. They are making up for lost time. Even wearing long pants and sleeves, I’m still covered with bites. This morning when I went to let the ladies out of the coop, the mosquitoes were like something out of a horror movie.

    1. Yes it is amazing how quickly they “regroup” in substantial numbers after a wet period! If someone can think of anything that mosquitoes are good for… I’m all ears. Anything? Why are they on this planet?

    2. In the Mitten
      Same here.
      Up until the last two days, it was great.
      Then that rain fall and cooler temps.
      Wow
      Been cooler so I’ve been cutting fallen wood in the low lying front yard.
      Got ate alive tonight. Thirsty devils.

      The otherhalf bought new, at a yard sale:
      ThermaCELL
      Mosquito repellent.
      We may have to try them out now.
      Also, she bought ‘Spartan Mosquito Eradicator’
      We have placed three around the back yard…prior to mosquito times.
      Every little bit helps to enjoy the home place.

  20. Just read on Fox news.com, four states have announced/confirmed West Nile virus in their states.

    1. Sorry, it was not Fox news; it was economic collapse. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Arizona, Arkansas, Illinois and Iowa have confirmed cases in humans.

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