When you go out in your yard, are you mobbed by mosquitoes? Does it feel like the whole world is full of these annoying pests? Well, the truth is that mosquitoes aren't everywhere. They just have thick populations in certain areas. The areas where mosquitoes are the worst are marshes and damp woodlands. But your Greensboro yard can have similar conditions, which can increase the number of mosquitoes on your property. If you address the conditions attracting them, you can get rid of mosquitoes. Wouldn't that be nice?
Join us today as we look at the moist places where mosquitoes live and breed. We'll tell you how to proactively deter mosquitoes and what that means for your family. Stay with us all the way to the end to learn the ultimate solution for dealing with mosquitoes. Contact your Go-Forth Pest Control team if you need a mosquito treatment now. We offer smart mosquito control for properties in and around Greensboro.
Common Mosquito Breeding Grounds In Yards
Mosquitoes are moisture pests. They require moisture for survival, and they breed in water sources. When mosquitoes enter your yard, they will look for a place to rest. When they find it, they will select a humid or damp spot and one that offers protection from the sun. As a female mosquito searches your yard for a place to lay eggs by the hundreds, she'll look for water that is stagnant and still.
Your landscaping is the perfect location for mosquitoes because they feed on nectar and plant sap for sustenance. While a mosquito is resting in your vegetation, it may suck some sap out of a leaf or stem.
When a mosquito leaves its moist hiding place, it will search for water that has organic life in it. That is why stagnant water is important. When mosquito eggs hatch, the larvae feed on the organisms in the water. Here are some examples of ideal places for a female mosquito to lay eggs:
- When a gutter has a lot of debris sitting in it, the debris will break down and can cause a clog. Water will then pool, creating a perfect little oasis for a female to raise offspring.
- A kiddie pool in your yard provides a big container that can collect rainwater and sit long enough for mosquitoes to grow larvae that turn into more adult mosquitoes.
- An open trash bin can collect rainwater, and it is an ideal place for microorganisms to live. No female mosquito can pass up a few inches of water in the bottom of a trash bin.
- Any plastic or rubber bin you use to hold tools and other objects can collect water when left out in the yard.
- Any toy that has a bowl or trough is enough for a mosquito. A female mosquito only needs a water source that is an inch deep.
- Puddles are perfect for mosquitoes to lay eggs. A puddle is a water source that is rich in microbial life.
- Depressions in leaf litter can trap enough moisture to give mosquitoes a place to lay eggs and develop offspring.
- A birdbath has no circulation pump. The more algae, the better!
If your yard has breeding sites like these, mosquitoes will lay eggs and create a swarm of hundreds. The mosquitoes that hatch are likely to stay near their breeding site as it provides an ideal place to generate more mosquitoes. That is why your yard has mosquitoes in it. If you want to keep mosquitoes out of your yard, it may be as simple as altering the conditions they need to reproduce.
Proactive Yard Maintenance
Inspect your yard for damp conditions and potential breeding sites. Once you've evaluated your property, take steps to systematically remove the conditions that make your yard ideal for mosquitoes to breed. Here are a few suggestions to get you started. We'll build from what we talked about earlier:
- Get your gutters cleaned to remove hidden breeding sites that are above your head and out of view.
- Repair breaks in your gutter system to prevent rainwater from soaking the ground and creating saturated soil that can leave puddles after it rains.
- If you have a low area where rainwater sits for over a week, consider filling it in or using a French drain to channel the water away from the trouble spot.
- Trim your vegetation to allow air to move between your plants and dry the leaves and stems. Doing so will also allow the sun to dry out any mosquitoes that try to hide in your landscaping.
- Rake leaves so they don't get compacted and hold pockets of stagnant water.
- Pour out any containers in your yard so water doesn't sit for more than a week, or stow the items inside.
- Pick up toys in the yard and keep your yard free of clutter that can capture rainwater.
Use these tips as a guide to find all of the potential resting and breeding sites in your yard. You can significantly reduce mosquito populations by altering these conducive conditions. Now, let's quickly look at why you should.
Risks Associated With Mosquito Infestations
It is common knowledge that mosquitoes spread malaria and other dangerous diseases. It is also common knowledge that most of the worst diseases spread by mosquitoes are not in the United States. We don't have much worry about malaria, Zika virus, yellow fever, and some other viruses when there is an outbreak anymore. But the U.S. does have a disease concern.
Each year, mosquitoes in the U.S. have exposure to West Nile virus and several other diseases that cause encephalitis. These viruses, as the word encephalitis implies, cause headaches due to swelling of the brain. In most cases, people recover from these headaches and other flu-like symptoms, but some end up hospitalized.
There are also fatalities each year. While it is extremely rare to die from a mosquito-borne disease, one death is one too many. But, putting aside the potential risks, it is nice to have ongoing mosquito control to ward off general sickness. That is why we recommend mosquito control services. Let's look at what professionals do to manage these irritating pests.
The Ultimate Mosquito Control Solution For Your Property
When it comes to controlling mosquitoes, many residents turn to things that keep mosquitoes away after some online research. They'll use torches, candles, repellent plants, essential oils, and more. But repellents don't work well. Mosquitoes find a way to go around (or through) smells that bother them. These products also do nothing to address the main issue, which is mosquito eggs hatching, larvae developing, and mosquitoes resting in their hiding places before they come out to bite.
When you contact Go-Forth Pest Control for Greensboro mosquito control services, we directly target the source of the infestation and break the cycle of reproduction. The strategy we use is scientific and complete:
- We inspect your property and evaluate conducive conditions and breeding sites. Doing this allows for a thorough treatment. It also enables your technician to share tips about your property that help you resist mosquito encroachment.
- We apply a control material to knock down adult mosquitoes so they can't continue to bite you or lay eggs on your property by the hundreds. You'll see the results immediately.
- We apply a larvicide to potential breeding sites during your treatment. What this does is introduce a growth regulator that prevents mosquitoes from developing. If they can't grow into adult mosquitoes, they'll never take to the air and bite you.
The methods we use work to quickly reduce mosquito populations on your property and act as a reset switch. New mosquitoes will have to move in to replace the mosquitoes we take out. This encroachment takes time because mosquitoes prefer to stay close to where they hatch and won't want to leave neighboring properties unless they find ideal conditions. We help you reduce those conditions to give you even greater protection.
Eventually, more mosquitoes will enter your yard no matter what you do. If you continue to get treatments throughout the year, you can continue to have low populations and fewer encounters with mosquitoes on your property.
Professional mosquito control can provide seasonal relief for mosquitoes in your yard. It is also a great way to get your yard ready for an important outdoor event. A one-time mosquito treatment is perfect before a birthday party, reunion, graduation party, or wedding reception. Contact your Go-Forth Pest Control team for assistance with mosquito control in Greensboro. It pays to get professional help when it comes to dealing with these frustrating pests. It will also help your family stay healthier and happier.
It is easy to get started with mosquito control for your Greensboro home. Call or text to speak directly with a professional, or connect with us through our Contact Us page for easy answers to your questions without speaking with someone directly. Our goal is your satisfaction. Reach out today.
