The summer is great, cookouts and parties, eating outdoors, lying by the pool and enjoying the warm sun. It would be perfect if not for one of the most deadly insects in existence. The mosquito. The cause of hundreds of deadly illnesses that have spread across half the world. West Nile Virus for instance has appeared in British Columbia, Canada. The danger behind these insects is that they can take in multiple blood meals in a day and with their ability to fly they can travel massive distances spreading blood-borne illness across acres of land in one day. They can survive anywhere as long as they have access to some amount of freshwater. From a standing puddle to a birdbath on your property or even an under the chlorinated pool. Any standing water is in danger of becoming a breeding ground for these dangerous and deadly creatures. While it is much less likely in Canada to become sick from a mosquito bite they are moving and in time we will be threatened with the same illness that threatens Africa and other poor countries and continents. The west is protected from that for now, but cases are appearing everywhere and it is clear the season of the mosquito is going to get ever more dangerous as time passes.
The best way to reduce or stop the spread of mosquitoes is to take away their breeding grounds. Any non-natural, unagitated and untreated water source like a birdbath will attract mosquitoes who will lay their eggs on the surface of the water. This can even happen to your pool if you do not properly chlorinate it do the standards of your countries medical association. If you have regular standing water on your property possibly caused by a divot in the ground you should repair the divot with soil, rocks and gravel to ensure proper drainage of the area. Rain catchers and any other standing water on your property need to be chemically treated, constantly agitated like with a waterfall or drained. You can also mix the water with dirt which makes it more difficult for mosquitoes to breed in.
One strange thing you can do to attract them less at night is to switch to yellow coated bulbs which attract them far less. There are of course many domestic options for dealing with them. The main method people use for the outdoors is skin safe insecticide sprays made of essential oils and powerful citronella candles or torches. While it is not a permanent solution to the mosquitoes on your property it is an effective way of not getting stung which in this new global world can be life-threatening.
Options for permanent removal requires some major domestic chemicals and processes. If your lawn is the source you can water it less or treat it with a lawn bug spray that will kill the eggs and larva of mosquitoes. This type of chemical is usually sold in a bottle that connects to your hose so it can be spread out over the full lawn.
There are also scentless options like Patio Shield made by Thermacell. This machine needs cartridges of pesticide but chemicals do not produce a smell or any smoke or heat and will keep mosquitoes away for twelve hours per cartridge. If you don’t want to get rid of your standing water birdbath you can install a water fountain divide that will circulate and agitate the water. Birds won’t mind but the mosquito larva will die instantly.
