How to Get Rid of Mosquitoes in Your Yard

When mosquitoes start taking over your yard, it becomes impossible to enjoy spending time outside. Depending on where you live and the mosquito population, there can even be health issues associated with getting too many mosquito bites. The good news is there are things you can do to help.

If you are wondering how to get rid of mosquitoes in your yard, you are in the right place. Whether you want to attempt to fix this issue on your own or contract one of the best lawn care services like TruGreen to help, mosquito control in your yard is possible.

Best Ways to Get Rid of Mosquitoes in Your Yard

Mosquitoes cannot all be treated the same way, as they are likely there for different reasons. One of the best ways to get rid of mosquitoes in your yard is to ensure that you are making things less appealing to mosquitoes to begin with. Here are the best ways to get rid of mosquitoes in your yard.

Clear Lawn Debris

During the summer months, we recommend letting some of the natural clippings from your lawn sit right on the grass. However, if you have waited too long to cut your grass and leaving clumps of dry lawn waste on the grass, it could attract mosquitoes.

If your grass is a bit wet when you cut it, use the bag to collect as much of it as you can. Have a compost pile or lawn debris collection area well away from the house.

• If your grass is long, put the bagger on the mower and pick up the clippings
• Dispose of lawn debris well away from the house or patio

Dethatch and Aerate

Proper lawn maintenance includes dethatching and aerating the lawn. This will work as a natural mosquito repellent as they won’t have as many areas to hide and breed. If your lawn is healthy and air and water can pass through, the mosquitoes won’t have any reason to stay.

What Is Dethatch?

Dethatching is a very powerful lawn raking that will remove dead grass and lawn debris accumulated in your yard. Dethatching can be done professionally or as a DIY project, but it will allow air, nutrients, and water back into the soil.

What Is Aerate?

Aeration is a process that creates small holes in the turf to allow nutrients to enter the soil. Many homeowners think that aeration will worsen the long look, but this is only temporary. The lawn will take a few weeks to recover when aeration is done, but it comes back stronger and lusher than before.

Get Rid of Standing Water

Homeowners should consider all of our tips for getting rid of mosquitoes in the backyard; however, the most helpful will be to get rid of standing water. The standing water is a breeding ground for mosquitoes, and if you don’t address it, there will be issues with mosquitoes for years to come.

Tips To Get Rid of Standing Water

Standing water is something that will continue to accumulate in your yard. One of the keys is knowing where to look and making sure that you take the time to empty and replace water when necessary so that mosquito larvae do not have time to hatch.

• Look in and around flower pots for water that is pooling
• Change water in birdbaths frequently
• Take a walk around the yard after a rainstorm and see what needs to be emptied
• Look at kids’ outdoor play equipment and empty any standing water
• Stagnant water left in puddles on a patio can be a perfect place to lay eggs; look for proper drainage in and around the home
• Check for wheelbarrows and even patio umbrellas that have areas where standing water can accumulate
• Ensure that you have gutter guards in place so water does not get trapped in your gutters
• Adjust sprinkler heads so that they are not watering unnecessary areas

As a homeowner, it makes sense to familiarize yourself with the areas around the home that are subject to more frequent standing water. After a rainstorm, takes a walk around the yard and simply dump out this water before mosquito breeding starts.

Treat any Pools and Ponds that Can’t be Moved

Mosquitoes love water, and this includes both pools and ponds. However, just because you have a pool does not mean you will have more mosquitoes. There are some important tricks and tips to keep your pools and ponds mosquito-free.

Keep Water Moving

If the water in your pool is moving, adult mosquitoes will likely skip over it and find someone else to lay their eggs. When it’s the heart of the mosquito season, make sure that you are running your filter for the recommended amount of time, and even run it at night a bit if it helps reduce the mosquito population.

Dim The Lights

Pool lights should be dimmed at night. Although mosquitoes are not directly attracted to the light, they are typically going to use the light to find the carbon dioxide that humans are giving off. If you are having a pool party and the pool lights are on, you are making things easier on the mosquitoes.

Treat With Proper Chemicals

Treating your pool or pond with the proper chemicals to reduce algae and bacteria in the water is very important. Mosquito dunks are often used in ponds to handle mosquito issues without damaging the life in the pond.

Plant Natural Mosquito-repelling Plants

If you can’t keep the mosquitoes away on your own, maybe it’s time to use the help of other natural mosquito repellents. If you are smart about building your gardens in your outdoor areas, you may never need to wear insect repellent. Here are a few plants you can place outside to help naturally keep a mosquito infestation away.

• Marigolds: these plants have nice flowers and can be planted in pots around a patio
• Lemongrass: lemongrass makes a great plant to help surround a patio or garden, and it will encourage mosquitoes to stay back
• Peppermint: peppermint plants have a strong smell that is too much for a mosquito to take; the plant itself is a lovely greenery to mix in with other flowers
• Eucalyptus: Eucalyptus is one of the stronger natural repellents to combat your mosquito problem; taking care of this plant is a bit more involved but can be done in some climates
• Catnip: planting catnip in your outdoor space will ensure that the neighborhood cats come and visit, but it will also keep the mosquitoes away
• Essential oils can also help to repel mosquitoes; if you plant something like rosemary and then use some of it on your BBQ as you cook, the mosquitoes may leave you alone

Apply a Chemical Insecticide

Chemical insecticides will work to keep mosquitoes out of your yard for an extended period of time. Some areas surrounded by tall grass or marshy or still water will have no resistance against mosquito eggs and population growth unless a chemical insecticide is used.

There are positives and negatives to using mosquito spray throughout your property. Many homeowners find it to be the most effective mosquito treatment there is, but it can have health risks associated with it.

When applying a chemical insecticide to reduce the number of mosquitoes, keep these things in mind:

• Use a licensed company that will treat your yard with just the right amount of pesticide to destroy mosquito habitats
• Wear proper safety equipment when spraying for mosquitoes
• Work on creating a border around the property to keep mosquitoes away, as opposed to spraying everything
• Follow all instructions on the spray container to ensure that you are not spraying too much or too little of the product
• Always allow the chemical insecticide to settle and dry before using the area

Use a Cedar Mulch

Cedar mulch contains natural repellents that will keep beneficial insects around but repel things like fire ants, mosquitoes, and even snails and slugs. The cedar mulch or cypress mulch can be installed in beds around your patio area as a way to naturally keep the mosquitoes from entering the area. Here are a few tips to make sure your cedar mulch is effective.

• Freshen cedar mulch every year to ensure that it is still effective in repelling mosquitoes
• Remove leaves and other lawn debris from the mulch
• Don’t treat the mulch itself with an insecticide for mosquitoes; let it use its natural ability to keep mosquitoes at bay

Opt for Yellow LED Lights

Mosquitoes are more attracted to specific colors of lights. If you can use LED lights, especially more towards the yellow color in your outdoor areas, chances are your mosquito population will start to disappear.

• LED outdoor lights come in a variety of colors; you may have to experiment to see which color keeps the mosquitoes away
• Yellow light is different than a bug zapper and won’t necessarily repel or kill the insects; instead, it just makes the area less attractive

Use Citronella Candles and Thermacell

When enjoying time in your yard, it is not enjoyable to be sitting there covered in a bug spray with DEET or letting yourself be an itchy, uncomfortable mess. Many people find that to keep mosquitoes at bay, it helps to use citronella candles and or Thermacell.

• Citronella candles can be placed on coffee tables and side tables in the area where you enjoy your patio
• Also, look for tiki torches that can be filled with a citronella substance to keep mosquitoes away
• Thermacell works quite well and is EPA approved however; you should avoid breathing in the Thermacell vapor when possible

Buy a Bug Zapper

A bug zapper is a popular mosquito trap to ensure that any mosquito that enters your outdoor area is killed. The problem with these mosquito traps is that you must have them on, and they will kill other bugs that may be beneficial to your yard.

The bug zapper is an excellent additional method to ensure those female mosquitoes don’t start breeding in your yard, but it should not be relied on as the only way to keep mosquitoes away.

What Attracts Mosquitoes to Your Yard

Mosquitoes, like any other creature or insect, are looking to survive and grow their population. Some yards have a major mosquito problem, and others will never see a single bug come through. Some of this has to do with the area you live, but mostly it is the way you maintain and care for your outdoor spaces.

The most common way to get a yard filled with mosquitoes is to have standing water. If you have a garden area with a few empty pots, check if those are filled with water. In addition, gutters that are clogged can cause water to accumulate. These areas are the perfect spot for mosquitoes to lay eggs and watch their population grow.

In addition, if you do not do an adequate job of maintaining your turf, there could be additional breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Lawn debris and dead grass sitting in the turf will cause mosquitoes to hang around. Once they are there, you must follow some of our tips for how to get rid of mosquitoes and then use preventative measures to keep them away for good.

Mosquito Fun Facts

When mosquitoes are not biting, they can be rather interesting. Many people don’t realize how extensive the mosquito population is and how long these creatures have been around.

• Mosquitoes are as old as dinosaurs, and there are more than 3000 different species of mosquito
• Only the female mosquitoes will bite
• Most mosquitoes will only live for about two months; the short life cycle can help you when it comes to controlling the mosquito population in your yard
• If you eat more garlic mosquitoes tend to stay away because of the smells in the sweat that you produce
• Bats love mosquitoes, and putting bat houses around your yard could help significantly reduce the mosquito population
• Mosquitoes are known to spread Zika and West Nile Virus; it’s worth protecting yourself from these insects
• Mosquitoes have been known to drink up to three times their body weight in blood
• A mosquito will bite other animals, not just humans

Professional Lawn Care Services: TruGreen

One of the best ways to keep mosquitoes away is to have your lawn adequately cared for by a company like TruGreen. With TruGreen managing your property, you won’t have to worry about a proper mowing schedule, aeration, or even fertilizer and treatment of lawn pests.

With TruGreen’s professional lawn care services, the chance of mosquitoes even deciding that your yard is a good place to breed will be considerably lower. Remember that maintenance and prevention are almost more important than treatment. If you would like to find out more about TruGreen and the services they offer, take a look at our complete TruGreen pest control review.

House Method Rating & Methodology

At House Method, transparency and trust are our most important values for the reader. That’s why we took the time to create an objective rating system and score each lawn company/service according to our methodology.

Our research team dug deep into the fine print of contracts, combed through more than one hundred customer reviews, and thoroughly investigated all of each lawn care service’s services, costs, and products. We’ve done the homework for you by researching nearly all of the lawn care companies on the market so you can have the information you need to make the best choice for your home.

We developed a formula to objectively determine the best lawn care companies and give each a score out of 100 based on the following criteria:

• Plan Options (30): Do they provide a variety of plan options? We looked at the number of plans each company offered and the flexibility of adjusting the plan.
• Services offered (20): How many services are offered in each plan? We looked at the number of lawn care coverages, including weed control, seeding, irrigation, aeration, dethatching, and more.
• Trust (10): What do customers say after their lawn has been serviced? Does this company offer a guarantee? We considered how satisfied customers are post-service if the company does what it says it will, BBB accreditation, and service guarantees.
• Prices (10): How reasonable are the costs of the plan or service in comparison to the industry average? We compared the costs of each company to competitors that offer the same lawn services.
• Unique perks (10): Does the company offer discounts or special services such as organic treatments, pest control, or a mobile app? We looked for perks each company offers that set them apart from the competition.
• Customer Service (10): How is the customer experience when contacting the company? We considered the speed of response, weekend/holiday availability, and ease of communication through phone calls, email, and online chat functions.
• Nationwide availability (10): How many states does the company offer its services? Companies that operate nationally and in all zip codes are favored over those with limited availability. 

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