The Best Mosquito Protection In The Bay Area

Mosquitoes don't make any outside activity better. They are annoying pests that try to inflict itchy wounds on you while you're relaxing by the pool, grilling up some food, or doing any number of outdoor activities. Sure, the mosquitoes probably don't mean you any harm, but harm you they do. Itchy bites can become open wounds, and those wounds can become infected if not properly treated. Mosquitoes spread many diseases that cause flu-like symptoms. If you experience a headache, fever, and body aches, you could be fighting off a mosquito-borne virus and not even realize it. It happens a lot. But, as you're likely aware, some mosquito-borne viruses can be deadly—granted, the number of annual deaths in the United States is in the hundreds, and that isn't much when compared to a population of over 320 million—But it is a risk we must all take into consideration. One death by mosquito virus is one death too many. This is why mosquito protection is so important for your Bay Area residence. Let's take a moment to talk about what works best to keep mosquitoes from buzzing around in your yard.

The Misconception

It is important to understand that there is a big misconception regarding mosquitoes. This misconception is the primary reason many residents don't take steps to get control of mosquitoes, though they should. It is a common belief that mosquitoes travel around neighborhoods, going from yard to yard in search of someone to bite. While mosquitoes can definitely come into your yard from your neighbor's yard, they don't get around nearly as much as you might think. A mosquito has a flight range of up to 3 miles but most mosquitoes won't travel more than a few hundred feet from where they hatch. When you take steps to control mosquitoes in your yard, you can have a big impact.

Breeding Sites

A female mosquito lays 100 eggs at a time. If she lays those eggs in your yard, your property will become a breeding site. The mosquitoes that hatch are likely to stay near that breeding site. This is why you can have a swarm of mosquitoes surround you in a matter of seconds every time you go outside. Those mosquitoes don't rush into your yard from your neighbor's yard when you go outside. They live in your yard. If you remove breeding sites, you can reduce that swarm. Here are a few tips:

• Inspect your yard and remove objects that act as a container for rainwater. This can be any object that holds 1 inch of water for more than a week.

• Inspect your gutter system. Remove clogs and blockages. This will prevent tiny breeding pools from forming on your roofline.

• Address any conditions that create puddles in your yard.

Some mosquito species don't need 1 inch of water. They can lay eggs on damp ground. Therefore, it is important to consider damp conditions around your home.

• Consider watering your plants early in the morning, so the sun has plenty of time to dry your plants and topsoil.

• Put your sprinklers on a timer.

• Remove unnecessary plants from your landscaping, such as weeds or grass.

• Stay on top of trimming your grass.

• Remove leaf litter from your yard as soon as possible.

• Consider removing broadleaf plants from your landscaping.

When Conditions Are Beyond Your Control

If you live next to a swamp, or next to a home that has lots of stagnant water breeding sites for mosquitoes to use, you're going to have higher than normal mosquito pressures. This can make it more difficult to make your yard a no-fly-zone. If this is your situation, remember that Bay Pest serves the Bay Area with industry-leading pest control. We offer mosquito control services that work to address mosquitoes that enter your yard. Our licensed professionals use backpack foggers to apply an EPA-approved product to landscaping and other key areas where mosquitoes rest, or breed. The product we use is only harmful to simple organisms, like mosquitoes and ticks. They won't harm you, your kids or your pets.

Have you considered mosquito control?

If you've thought about mosquito control but shrugged it off because you figured, "Why bother? Mosquitoes are everywhere. How can you possibly control them?" We hope this article has been informative. Mosquitoes aren't everywhere. They hang out near their breeding sites. If you make your yard difficult for mosquitoes to breed in, you're going to have a lot fewer mosquitoes buzzing around in your yard when you go outside. Let our friendly and experienced team help you find the right solution for your Bay Area home. Reach out to us today and schedule a pest evaluation to get started. Life is a whole lot better without mosquitoes around. Get relief from those irritating pests today.