Are you familiar with the dance? What dance are we referring to? It is the one you do when you're standing outside at a party and half a dozen mosquitoes take an interest in you. One lands on your arm. You wiggle. One lands on your thigh. You lift your leg, jiggle, and put it back down. One lands on your neck. You swoosh it away with your hand. Do you see the dance forming? It's a wiggle, jiggle, swoosh—not to be confused with the Hippie Hippie Shake, a popular song from the 1960s that is fun to dance to. The wiggle, jiggle, swoosh isn't fun at all. In fact, it is quite annoying. Yet, it seems to be all the craze in Orlando. We do it all the time in our backyards. If you've found yourself doing this dance, and you'd prefer to not have to do this dance anymore, or you'd like to protect yourself and those you love from mosquito-borne diseases (because there's that too) we have six easy and effective tips for you.
1. Mosquito Reduction
Let's start with the easiest and most effective way to keep mosquitoes from biting you. You may not know this but most of the mosquitoes that bite you in your backyard are hatched in your backyard. If you have a professional install mosquito control products in your backyard, mosquitoes won't be able to come into your yard and lay eggs by the hundreds, and those hundreds of eggs won't be hatching into mosquitoes that bite. This costs a little bit, but you don't have to do any hard work, you don't have to think about it, and you get that best mosquito control possible.
2. Breeding Sites Control
You have some control over whether mosquitoes can breed in your yard. Many mosquito species breed in stagnant water, particularly Aedes mosquitoes, which spread the most dangerous mosquito-borne diseases. If you remove stagnant water breeding sites, you can reduce mosquitoes in your yard. Keep in mind that it only takes one inch of water for mosquitoes to develop. Here are some potential breeding sites to consider:
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Kiddie pools
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A cup left outside
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Puddles
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Objects that capture rainwater
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Water in a clogged gutter
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A tarp on a boat
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A bucket
Two more things to consider:
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It takes more than a week for mosquitoes to develop. If you pour water out onto the ground before they grow into flying (and biting) adults, you can stop this development.
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If you have a stagnant water resource that can't be moved, such as a birdbath, adding a water circulator can make this water source undesirable as a breeding site.
3. Mosquito Repellent
As we turn from yard protection to personal protection, we must begin with the most important way you can prevent mosquito bites. But, this solution isn't for everyone. You may feel ill when you put chemicals on your skin. This tip isn't about informing you that repellent prevents mosquito bites, but rather that there are options other than putting chemicals on your skin.
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You can have some success keeping mosquitoes away by applying repellent to your clothing.
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You can use a repellent that has natural oils such as oil of lemon eucalyptus.
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If you still feel sick, even when you apply natural mosquito repellent, consider planting mosquito-repelling plants in your landscaping and use the oils from these plants directly on your skin.
4. Wear Something Bright
Do you know that mosquitoes have terrible eyesight and must fly low to the ground to get a lock on you. They use your silhouette against the sky. If you wear bright colors, you can make it more difficult for mosquitoes to see you and lock on target.
5. Use Netting
Nets can be used to seal an outdoor recreation area. While they reduce visibility, they give the best protection from mosquitoes. You may also purchase clothing with netting to keep mosquitoes from biting you as you mow in areas that are dense with mosquitoes.
6. Use A Fan
If you're going to be in one location, you may have some success keeping mosquitoes off of you if you use a fan. Mosquitoes aren't great fliers. A strong breeze can keep them away.
We hope these tips have helped. If you have any questions about mosquito control or you'd like to get mosquito reduction service for your Orlando property, reach out to us. The team at Green Flag Services is standing by to help you with all your pest control needs.