Imagine this. You’re hosting a BBQ in your yard. The grill is going and guests are arriving. The music is lightly playing in the background, and the weather is perfect. You’re set up for success, right?
Yes – that is, unless hordes of mosquitoes crash your party. Itchy bites and red welts make for uncomfortable guests, and despite your best efforts, the mosquitoes always seem to prevail over your all your methods to ward them off.
Now, imagine that you make a call, and Mosquito Solutions is at your door. Your problems with the pesky biting insects disappear, and your future gatherings go on without a hitch. Your backyard should be an enjoyable extension of your living space – and we’re here to ensure it’s just that with our pest removal and prevention services.
Now, you must have questions about what works in the meantime. What are the differences among approaches to mosquito control? And what can you do to make your mosquito-free daydreams a reality?
Do Mosquito Repellent Sprays Actually Work?
You might start to resolve your insect woes by reaching for bug spray. Mosquito repellent sprays come in all varieties. So, do they work?
In short, some mosquito sprays work, but not without repercussions. Those that are most effective at their bug-deterring purpose generally contain DEET, a chemical compound that keeps the mosquitoes away effectively.
However, DEET can be harmful. Sprays containing more than 30% DEET were banned in Canada because of possible health risks, including the small possibility that this compound can cause seizures. For some users, it can cause rashes and skin irritations, as well. This is one place where we approach things a bit differently. While we do use a spray, it’s a yard spray that’s highly effective, while remaining harmless to humans.
Do Mosquito Bracelets Actually Work?
Another product on the market is the repellent wristband. These may work as a quirky style choice, but the science shows them to be ineffective as an overall strategy against mosquito bites. Despite being advertised as a better option than DEET-containing sprays because there is no skin application, wristbands are not better for your mosquito problem.
Long story short – the bugs may avoid the bracelets… but will bite you elsewhere.
Do Mosquito Candles Actually Work?
Most of us have been at an outdoor gathering where mosquito repellent candles were used around the yard. Some of the brands out there do offer a small amount of protection, but there are some downsides.
Candles using citronella, an essential oil touted for its alleged bug-deterring properties, don’t turn out to do much to help mosquito problems. There is actually no significant evidence that citronella does substantial enough work to ward off your mosquitos for any meaningful amount of time. Not only that, but the area that a candle can cover is insufficient to be deemed a solution. Even if it did work well, it certainly wouldn’t cover the yard games at your next BBQ.
Do Natural Mosquito Repellent Methods (Lavender, Peppermint, Lemon, etc.) Work?
A variety of home-style remedies have been proposed rooted to ward off pests using natural materials, such as essential oils. This would be an ideal solution – a natural solution for a problem presented by nature! Most essential oils, unfortunately, help little.
Oils derived from cedar, eucalyptus, peppermint, soybean, or lavender, despite their popularity, prove to have limited usefulness. While some studies have shown that repellents containing geraniol, which is found in lemongrass, citronella, and rose oil, can help for a short while, they won’t keep mosquitos at bay as long as other methods (such as DEET-containing sprays).
Another potential remedy? Garlic. Yet, regardless of their blood-sucking ability, mosquitos are not vampires, so garlic is also rendered unsuccessful. Vitamin B, another fabled mosquito fighting champion, also fights to no avail.
But there is still hope in the natural sector. 2-undecanone or BioUD, a chemical found in tomatoes, has been shown to have promise, and oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) also has a measure of effectiveness. The drawback? In its pure, untouched state it hasn’t been tested for safety yet.
If you decide to try using essential oils, be cautious of allergies. Direct contact with some plant oils can irritate the skin.
Does Strategic Landscaping Work to Deter Pests?
The smells of some plants can help block the odors mosquitoes use to find you, but in most cases having these plants in your garden won’t produce a concentrated enough smell to keep you free of mosquitos. The oils from plants are more concentrated than the plants alone and, as seen above, their effectiveness is limited.
A better bet? Ensuring that any water features in your yard don’t contain standing water.
What Works Best? Counting On Mosquito Solutions
If you’ve tried everything you can think of to stop the mobs of mosquitos and come away discouraged, there’s more to do than give up.
There’s a reason we call ourselves Mosquito Solutions. Our all-natural spray makes a drastic difference within mere hours of application and gives that long-lasting protection you’re hoping for. We’re licensed, insured, and certified by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). Rest, assured, we’ll get you taken care of.
Call us at 631-528-2029 or reach out to us online today.
Recent Comments