Connor's Tips: 13 Tips to stay Mosquito Free this Year

Mosquito season is upon us, which means homeowners need to start looking for ways to keep the mosquitoes out of their yards and homes.  There are several things you can do to prevent mosquitoes from sneaking up on you. 

1. Keep your gutters clean and functional.  Dirty gutters cause a buildup of water, and that buildup attracts mosquitoes.  Use a Leaf Defier or other object so you can protect yourself from mosquitoes.
2. Install a drip system in your birdbath so the water will be fresh at all times. 
3. If you collect rainwater in a rain barrel, cover the barrel with a screen. While rain barrels are a great way to conserve water, they can also act as a breeding ground for mosquitoes if they are not properly covered.
4. Put a bubbler in a fish pond or lake.  This will keep water from becoming stagnant.
5. Clean out your pond or lake.  Debris provides mosquitoes with a great landing spot to lay their eggs.  Clean out the ponds on a weekly basis to prevent mosquitoes from laying eggs.
6. Put mosquito eating fish, such as Koi, in a pond or lake.  These fish feast on mosquito larvae, and thus, cut down on the mosquito population.  Since water is such a breeding ground for mosquitoes, these fish will help you out a great deal.
7. Remove weeds from your yard.  Adult mosquitoes are drawn to weeded areas, and by removing the weeds, you will remove one of their favorite hiding spots.
8. Trim the shrubs.  Like weeds, shrubs provide a good place for mosquitoes to hide.  Keep them trimmed so mosquitoes will not be able to hide in your yard.
9. Make sure your outdoor flower pots drain properly.  Put holes in them so excess water will drain out, and make sure you do not overwater them.  Remember, standing water attracts mosquitoes.
10. Make sure water can drain from your landscaping. If you have a plastic sheet under your landscaping, it will do a great job of preventing weeds, but a poor job of draining water.  Switch it out with a landscape fabric that will serve both purposes.  That way, your yard will be free of weeds and water.
11. Turn over any objects that water can accumulate in so they will properly drain.  Check for wheelbarrows, pipes and other objects and make sure they are draining properly.  After you drain them, get rid of any standing water the objects left behind.
12. Be mindful of kid’s toys.  These toys can accumulate water, and thus, can be very attractive to mosquitoes.
13. Clean up the puddles.  When it rains, water accumulates in yards.  Then, the mosquitoes come out and play.  Get rid of the water in puddles. Fill them with dirt or sand so they will dry up quickly. 

Follow these thirteen steps so you can keep the mosquitoes at bay this season.  Remember, mosquitoes are not just annoying.  They are also dangerous.  Thus, take the time to mosquito proof your yard.