How to Stop Mosquitos Hunting You

Does your home and section sometimes seem like the world’s top tourist attraction for pesky blood-sucking mosquitos?

If you do have times when mosquitos around the home are more than a minor irritation, then you need to know what you can do to stop these tiny pests from lingering around in your personal space.

Mosquitoes use their receptors and vision to pick up on other cues like body heat, perspiration, and skin odor to find a potential host. They are attracted by the carbon dioxide humans and other animals emit when breathing.

Here are some tips to help you understand how Mosquitos are hunting you, and what you can do to stop them.

Some of these tips have less to do with you, but how you control the environment around your home. I’m talking about mosquito control for your yard.

How to keep Mosquitos out of your yard

Female mosquitos lay eggs in any stagnant water or wet soil around the home. Even a teaspoon sized amount of water is enough.

• Remove leaves and materials from your gutters that may be allowing water to sit and stagnate. Unless you are regularly checking your gutters, you can’t see if the water is flowing freely or not.
• Empty buckets and bird feeders of any water
• Refresh water weekly form any birdbaths or fountains

Despite your best efforts, it is almost impossible to entirely keep mosquitos away, particularly if you live in a hot and humid climate.

As well as taking precautions to stop them breeding in and around your property, your neighbors may not be as diligent as you. 

It is always a good idea to have access to something that will encourage mosquitos to leave your property if they do turn up to ruin your day.

What kind of products will keep mosquitos out of your yard?

Patio Shield Mosquito Repellant – Less fiddly than sprays or candles, this cordless, scent-free device uses heat-activated repellants to create a 15-foot bug-free zone. This is perfect for dinners on the deck or other small-scale outdoor entertaining. 

Backyard Bug Control – For a more aggressive solution, this EPA-registered insecticide will not just repel mosquitos but kill them dead. You attach your garden hose to the sprayer bottle and apply across your entire section. Be careful to keep away from sewers and storm drains so that it does not enter any waterways. Also keep pets and children inside until the spray is completely dry. 

It’s easy to use and a one-time treatment with just one bottle will treat up to 5,000 square feet. It will remain effective through any weather for up to 12 weeks, effectively protecting your property throughout the entire summer.

Mosquito Repellant Lantern – This device also keeps mosquitos from flying into your space with the use of a heat-activated repellant. It has a built-in battery-powered lantern.

Mosquito Repellant Candle – Lighting a citronella candle is not a permanent solution but it is an effective way to ward off mosquitos and can have up to a 30 hour burn time

Along with citronella, the candle includes many other oils that also have repellent effects against mosquitos.

Mosquito Dunks – When you stick one of these in any bird bath, pond, plant tray, or stagnant water, they will kill any Mosquito larvae within 100 square feet of mosquito larvaeStick one of these small (but mighty) circles in any bird baths, ponds, plant trays or flood-prone areas up to 100 square feet to kill mosquito larvae for 30 days. But don’t worry about fish or other wildlife, says our expert team: BTI, the EPA-registered ingredient in this product, only kills mosquito larvae and is non-toxic to people, pets and other animals.

Flea & Tick Spray – For a plant-based option, treat up to 5,000 square feet with this spray from Wondercide, which uses a combination of cedarwood oil, sesame oil and sodium lauryl sulfate to kill mosquitoes, as well as fleas and ticks, at any and every stage of the life cycle. Spray twice within two to 10 days to ensure that you’re getting rid of all pests, and then continue to spray as needed.

Mosquito Repelling Granules – Our experts like this different take on mosquito control, especially if you have a lot of property to protect. Simply sprinkle the granules straight from the container or apply them to your lawn (up to 4,000 square feet) with a fertilizer spreader. According to the manufacturer, the biodegradable combination of lemongrass, mint and garlic oils naturally repels mosquitos within an hour of spreading and lasts from two to three weeks. Though it’s claimed to be safe for pets, our experts point out that it falls under California’s Proposition 65, which warns consumers about the risk of chemical exposure.Mosquito Misting Systems – Outdoor residential misting systems (sometimes called “mosquito misters”) are application systems designed to spray pesticides in a fine mist to kill mosquitoes and other insects outdoors. Misting systems include spray nozzles that are mounted around the perimeter of a home in the lawn or landscaping, or on parts of the house or fence. The spray nozzles are connected by tubing to a supply of insecticide. Some misting systems may be turned on at preset intervals using a timer. Others may be turned on using a remote controller, while others may be activated using a switch.