Mosquitoes are among the most annoying of garden pests. They deliver vicious bites without the slightest provocation, and destroy the peace and quiet of your backyard with their annoying buzz. Mosquitoes are also dangerous pests. They transmit numerous infectious diseases like West Nile Virus, Malaria, Yellow Fever, and Elephantiasis. Moreover, mosquito bites can cause allergic reactions ranging from red, itchy, localized swelling, to anaphylactic shock which can be life-threatening.
Clearly mosquitoes are uninvited guests and any self-respecting homeowner will want to rid their yard of these troublesome insects. Here are 5 helpful tips to combat mosquitoes in your yard.
1) Citronella oil
Burning citronella oil is a proven method for keeping mosquitoes at bay. Popular citronella products include outdoor citronella candles and citronella garden torches which can be mounted around the perimeter of the yard. These can be purchased online or from your local home improvement center.
2) Pesticides
Permethrin , Scourge, Malathion, and Anvil are common synthetic pesticides used for mosquito control. Natural pesticides such as Pyrethrin and Bacillus thuringensis (BTI) also do a good job of destroying mosquitoes. Bacillus thuringensis (BTI), commonly known as “mosquito dunks”, is a natural soil bacterium that can be placed around your yard. Mosquitoes feed on the BTI which kills them within days. You can also consider installing an automated misting system which sprays your yard with pesticide at intervals throughout the day.
3) Water control
Treat or drain all sources of standing water in your yard. Flower pots, plant saucers, dog bowls, and blow-up pools should be overturned if possible or regularly emptied of any stagnant water. Even objects like kids’ toys or old tires can collect water. Refill birth baths and water fountains frequently to keep the water fresh, and keep gutters clean so that water does not accumulate in them. Other moisture-retaining culprits are loose tarpaulin, uneven lawns, and organic debris such as leaves and sticks.
4) Mosquito predators
Certain animals, like toads, guppies, and gold fish prey on mosquitoes. If you have a garden pond, having these animals in or near your pond can help control the mosquito population in your yard.
An automated misting system, also known as a mosquito misting system, is a pest control solution whereby pesticide is automatically sprayed onto an insect-infested area through self-operating nozzles at specific times of the day. A typical automated misting system includes things like timers, spray nozzles, tubing, a control board, a remote control, and a pump. These systems allow homeowners and commercial property owners alike to eliminate or significantly reduce the population of irritating mosquitoes, flies, and other insect pests on their premises.
Types of automated misting systems
There are a wide range of automated misting systems currently available on the market. You can choose from battery-powered, motor-powered, and electric-powered models. You can also decide if you want a drum-based or tankless system. Some systems require fixed installation, while others are portable. The prices of these systems vary, ranging from $1,500 to $3,000.
Installation
Installing an automated misting system is usually a straightforward process that you can do yourself. There are also pest control companies that install these systems on commercial and residential proprieties. Setting up the system involves placing the spray nozzles around the perimeter of your property and running the mist lines (tubing that supplies the mist formula to the nozzles) along fence lines or under eaves.
Benefits
Automated misting systems have many benefits. They eliminate the grunt work of having to walk around a property and apply pesticide manually. They also make pesticide delivery more precise and consistent. Moreover, they require minimal maintenance. Most systems use a natural pesticide called pyrethrin. Pyrethrin is a highly effective pesticide that has low toxicity in human and mammals. This allows you to use your automated misting system safely without worrying about pollution and adverse effects to your family or employees.
These days, we hear a lot of talk about home automation for the interior of the house, but what about the backyard? Back and front yards require a lot of maintenance to keep them presentable year–round and comfortable to be in. While some people enjoy do-it-yourself garden work, for many, convenient automated devices can take the grunt work out of backyard upkeep. Automation can also add a new level of comfort and efficiency to your backyard experience. Here are five ideas for automating your backyard.
1) Automated pest control
Consider adding an automated misting system to curb annoying mosquitoes and other insect pests. With these systems, unobtrusive misting nozzles are placed around the perimeter of the yard. The nozzles are programmed to release controlled amounts of pesticide at intervals throughout the day.
2) Automated water displays
A water fountain can be a soothing, magical feature of any yard, but if the level of water in the fountain is not carefully and consistently regulated, the fountain can go dry and end up being a receptacle for twigs and bird droppings. Many people find it a hassle to remember to manually fill their fountain or turn on the fountain pump. With automated water displays, the system can be programmed so that the pump turns on and off by itself at specific times of the day. The pump can also be turned on via a switch or remote control.
3) Automated backyard lighting
Outdoor lighting serves a number of functional, safety, and aesthetic purposes, from increasing visibility on decks, walkways, and patios, to illuminating dark corners of a yard, to highlighting attractive features like a pond or garden statue. Automated outdoor lighting control provides an easy way to control different lights in your yard depending on the mood you want to set, the time of night, or the conditions in your yard. These systems allow for instant scene control in your backyard with the flip of a switch or via dimmers. Lights can also be programmed to turn off or shine with less intensity throughout the course of the night.
There is much evidence to suggest that eco-friendly lifestyles and “green” practices have significant positive effects on the environment and on human health and well-being. If you want to play a role in safeguarding the future of our planet and the health of your loved ones, a good place to start is by considering the type of insecticide you use in your own backyard.
Inorganic and synthetic insecticides have long been controversial owing to their harmful effects on human health, as well as their role in polluting and destroying the environment. Some of the most common over-the-counter insecticides contain heavy metals, arsenates, lindane, atrazine, DDT and other chemicals that are toxic to living organisms.
If you are using inorganic or synthetic insecticides in your garden, then you are exposing your family and pets to chemicals that are known to disrupt the human endocrine system and that have been linked to cancer, neurological diseases, birth defects, infertility, developmental disorders, and skin conditions in humans as well as animals. You may be also damaging the eco-system of your garden by killing off essential soil micro-organisms. Moreover, when it rains, runoff from your garden lawn or flower beds means that the chemicals can find their way into nearby water systems, contaminating human water supplies and poisoning local wildlife.
Pyrethrum is a natural, biodegradable insecticide that offers a safe pest-fighting alternative to all the toxic products on the market. A botanical insecticide, it is extracted from chrysanthemum flowers and has a drastically lower avian and mammalian toxicity compared to other insecticides. Pyrethrum contains natural organic compounds called pyrethrins which, when ingested by birds and mammals, are quickly and harmlessly metabolized by their bodies. Pyrethrins are also easily degraded by soil microorganisms. Insects, on the other hand, are instantly paralyzed by pyrethrum making it a very fast-acting natural insecticide.
Pyrethrum does have a few pitfalls. It can cause allergic reactions in some individuals and may not be as well tolerated by cats as other mammals. Generally speaking however, pyrethrum is arguably the most environmentally-safe and health-friendly pest-control option on the market today.
There are few things more satisfying than a healthy, thriving garden or yard. From holding outdoor events, to sunbathing on a lawn chair, a peaceful, attractive yard is a great asset and one that should not be taken for granted. That is why the first sign of outdoor pests in a garden or yard is always cause for concern.
Insect pests such as aphids and ladybugs can propagate quickly, damaging foliage, and reversing months of garden maintenance in no time at all. Flying and biting insects like mosquitoes and bees are a nuisance and can cause serious allergic reactions in some people, while insects like stink bugs will enter homes through door cracks and windows bringing their unpleasant odor with them. Without prompt and effective action, insect pests can significantly reduce the quality of your home life and cost you a fine penny in the long-run.
Automated misting systems are a smart, cost-effective solution for dealing with bug infestations. Automated misting systems work by automatically spraying a precise dose of pesticide on garden lawns and shrubs at regular intervals. The units work in any weather and can be used with both synthetic and natural pesticides. They are easy to install and are equally well-suited for residential and commercial landscapes. Misting nozzles are placed in strategic locations on the property and blend in perfectly with the landscape, while the inconspicuous supply lines are run along fences or eaves, or buried in the ground along the perimeter of the grounds.
Automated misting systems eliminate the need for time-consuming manual applications of pesticide. Most systems also come with a remote control so that the spray nozzles can be activated at any time. Some misting units have sensors that respond to sunlight and others adjust the misting action depending on wind conditions. Automated misting systems have a long operating life and are easy to maintain. The misting nozzles need to be cleaned periodically with a cleaning solution, but otherwise, these convenient, user-friendly devices really do take the “pest” out of pest control.
Consider this scenario – It’s a wonderful spring evening and you are entertaining friends and family on your outdoor patio, but just as the evening is getting started, the mosquitoes start swarming and drive everyone indoors.
If you want avoid ruined weekend get-together, you will need to know how to control mosquitoes in your yard and lawn.
First and foremost, eliminate breeding areas for mosquitoes. Water is the only breeding requirement for mosquitoes. Mosquitoes need stagnant water for laying their eggs so you need to find any pools of water and remove them. These can be anywhere that a small puddle of water can form including children’s play areas, birdbaths, and so on.
Remember following points to control mosquitoes in your lawn:
#1: Check your drainage system. See if there is any breakage or leakage and subsequently small puddles are formed close to leaking points. Repair the damaged points.
#2: Water can accumulate in garbage cans. Drill holes in the bottom of garbage containers so water does not accumulate. Make sure the water has somewhere drain and doesn’t simply puddle under the garbage can.
#3: When you are going to be away from home for vacations or for work, make sure your pool is properly treated with chlorine. Arrange for a pool service to keep the pool chlorinated or use an automatic chlorinator.
#4: Check your yard for low areas that accumulate standing water. Have your landscaper grade these areas or install french drains to keep your yard dry.
#5: Do not over water potted plants. Remove old tires, cans, and other debris from the yard that can hold water.
Finally, consider installing an automated misting system to control mosquitoes. These systems use safe, natural pesticides that are automatically released at timed intervals to kill mosquitoes and break the mosquito life cycle.
If you are one of those people who seem to spend your time at an outdoor barbeque swatting at mosquitos while others around you seem unfazed, you may be one of the unlucky ten percent of the population that are highly attractive to mosquitos. Mosquitos are attracted to carbon dioxide and lactic acid. When we breathe we produce carbon dioxide and human perspiration contains lactic acid.
To some extent, mosquitos will be more attracted to people who are perspiring and breathing hard from physical exertion, larger people who naturally exhale more than smaller people, and pregnant women who also put out higher levels of carbon dioxide.
Beyond the carbon dioxide attraction, researchers have found that mosquitos are much more attracted to about one in ten people. It is not clear yet exactly what it is that attracts mosquitos to these unfortunate few, but it likely has to do with their body chemistry which results in certain elements being found on their skin. Mosquitos are known to be attracted to steroids and cholesterol found on the skin, and researchers believe that other elements will be identified that are highly attractive to mosquitos.
In addition, drinking as little as one twelve ounce can of beer increases the chances that a mosquito will single you out. Again, scientists are not clear on why beer drinking attracts mosquitos but it may have to do with changes in slight changes in metabolism due to the alchohol.
Until scientists learn more, if you want to minimize your attraction to mosquitos, avoid outdoor exertion and beer drinking during the hours that mosquitos are most active which are around dusk and dawn. Or just keep slathering yourself in DEET.
Mosquitos are more than just a nuisance. They can carry and transmit serious diseases such as West Nile virus, malaria, and encephalitis. There have even been cases of dengue fever (also bone breaking disease because of the severe pain it causes in a victim’s bones and joints) that have been transmitted by mosquitos from infected people returning from the tropics to others here in the United States. More commonly, mosquitos can quickly put an end to an evening of pleasant outdoor entertaining.
Mosquito control involves stopping mosquitos from breeding or killing adult mosquitos before they can reproduce. Mosquitos need a source of standing water to breed. By eliminating puddles of water in children’s toys, birdbaths, old tires, and other areas, mosquito reproduction can be significantly reduced. However, even if you eliminate their breeding area from your yard, keeping mosquitos away from your yard can be a challenge because they can travel over a mile.
Mosquitos can sense carbon dioxide and lactic acid from as much as one hundred feet away. That means the mosquitos in your neighbor’s yard will quickly sense the presence of your guests when you are entertaining outdoors and will zero in on them.
A great way to eliminate these pests is to have a mosquito misting system installed around your yard. These systems work like a small sprinkler system. They are set on timers to dispense a mist of mosquito killing chemicals at set intervals. Most automated misting systems use pyrethrum which is toxic to mosquitos, but harmless to mammals in low doses.
Mosquito misting systems kill mosquitos on contact and create a barrier around your yard that keeps mosquitos away. They are fully automatic so you don’t have to think about it. Since they work on timers, they not only kill adult mosquitos, but they break the life cycle of mosquitos by killing adults before they can breed. Mosquito misting systems are safe, convenient and effective.
With spring approaching quickly, now is the ideal time to finally do something about those annoying mosquitoes that have been plaguing your yard. Spring and summer are great times for backyard entertaining and recreation, but persistent, biting mosquitoes can ruin all the fun. You can use all the citronella candles you want, listen to your bug zapper all night, or waste money on useless ultrasonic mosquito killers, but if you really want a mosquito free backyard, you need to consider installing an automated mosquito misting system.
Mosquitoes can be very had to control. You can spray an insecticide around your backyard and kill the mosquitoes, but they will soon migrate back into your yard from surrounding areas. Also, they are constantly reproducing so unless you break the life cycle, new mosquitoes are continuously being hatched.
These systems control mosquitoes by spraying a small amount of insecticide around your yard at intervals throughout the day and evening. Unobtrusive pray nozzles are installed around your yard and home. The spray nozzles are connected to a tank of insecticide through pipes hidden underground. Timers control the misting schedule so you don’t have to worry about it.
These systems typically use pyrethrum which is one of the most effective insecticides known for use against mosquitoes. Pyrethrum is a natural insecticide made from chrysanthemums. When used according to the label instructions, pyrethrum has low toxicity to humans, pets and other mammals.
Pyrethrum also breaks down quickly in sunlight so concerns about residual exposure are minimized. When you are ready for effective mosquito control, call an Alpharetta GA mosquito control specialist and ask about installation of a mosquito misting system for your home.
As winter winds down, we all look forward to the warm spring and summer days ahead. With the return of warm weather is the return of outdoor entertaining. Relaxing on the deck, outdoor barbeques, and having fun in your swimming pool are all great activities to look forward to, but unless we take action to control them, we can also look forward to biting, annoying mosquitoes.
Controlling mosquitoes should be an important part of your outdoor spring maintenance. One of the best insecticides for controlling mosquitoes is pyrethrum. This natural insecticide is an excellent choice for controlling mosquitoes in the residential setting.
Pyrethrum is derived from oils found in a type of chrysanthemum. It is one of the most effective insecticides known and has very low toxicity for humans, pets, and other mammals when used according to label instructions.
Pyrethrum affects the central nervous system of mosquitoes and, in high enough concentrations, kills mosquitoes on contact. In lower concentrations, pyrethrum causes beneficial changes in mosquito behavior. It has a “flushing effect’ that brings the mosquito out into the open where it will be exposed to a lethal level of insecticide and also inhibits normal biting behavior. In addition, it has a repellent effect that causes mosquitoes to attempt to leave the area of the chemicals.
One reason that pyrethrum is well suited to the residential setting is that it breaks down quickly in sunlight. Because it degrades so quickly, it poses less of a hazard than other insecticides. However, pyrethrum is still a powerful insecticide. To maximize the effectiveness of pyrethrum and minimize the hazards of exposure for people, pets, other wildlife and beneficial insects, the best option is to let a mosquito extermination professional apply the pyrethrum or install a mosquito misting system.
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