With increasing temperatures and increasing rainfall, it’s not surprising we’re experiencing an increase in mosquito numbers. With the changing climate, mosquito problems will continue to get worse, especially in the coastal areas. For us in the Hunter Valley, this means the Port Stephens and Lake Macquarie areas in particular. So, it’s important to learn how to get rid of mosquitoes so you can still enjoy your outdoor areas.
Eliminate mosquito breeding sites on your property
Firstly, it’s important to realise there are a number of different types of mosquitoes, as this impacts the various control strategies. Yes, they all like a blood meal, but they breed in different types of water bodies, which impacts what you can and can’t do to get rid of them.
Generally speaking, there are saltwater mosquitoes which breed in estuarine areas and other mosquito species that breed in small freshwater bodies. There’s nothing homeowners can do to treat saltwater mosquito breeding areas (hopefully the council is looking after that?), but you can eliminate breeding sites around your home.
Here are the top breeding sites you can eliminate
- Blocked drains and gutters
- Puddles / areas of poor drainage
- Rainwater tanks
- Any containers that collect water (old tires, wheelbarrows, etc)
- Plant pots
Plant pots, especially bromeliads, should be turned upside down every 2 weeks to prevent any mosquito larvae developing to adults.
Treat potential mosquito breeding sites
Pond and water features are also common breeding spots for mosquitoes but often they can’t be emptied. Fish are quite good at eating mosquito larvae, but they can only eat so many! If you have a problem with wrigglers (mosquito larvae) in your water feature, Rebel Pest Professional can apply special mosquito products as part of our professional mosquito treatment. These products only target mosquito larvae (they won’t kill the fish).
Get a professional mosquito treatment
Eliminating breeding spots will help keep mosquito numbers down but obviously doesn’t do anything to get rid of mosquitoes that come in from neighbouring properties or further afield.
Mosquitoes rest in sheltered areas – under large leaves, garden furniture, roofs and eaves. By treating these areas with a residual insecticide, any mosquitoes landing on the treated surfaces will die. A professional mosquito treatment from Rebel Pest Professionals targets these areas to create a mosquito interception zone, taking care of any mosquitoes that fly into your property. We follow a tried a tested technique used by international mosquito control programs, which have been shown scientifically to reduce mosquito numbers by up to 90% and can last for up to 3 months.
By dealing with the breeding sites and having a professional mosquito treatment, the mosquito numbers will be greatly reduced. But no treatment will give 100% control, so it’s still important to take some additional actions when entertaining outdoors.
What to do when entertaining outdoors?
There are three addition actions you can take to prevent remaining mosquitoes taking a nibble…
- Consider wearing lighter coloured clothes – mosquitoes are attracted to darker colours such as navy, orange red and black. Long sleeved tops and long trousers may also be an option if not too warm.
- Use an area mosquito repellent, such as mosquito fans or electronic devices, which emit mosquito repellents (artificial repellents are better than natural options such as citronella). Make sure they are sufficient for the area to be protected and place the device up wind (so the repellent is pushed down wind to protect the entertaining area).
- Wear a personal insect repellent on exposed skin
Alas there is no easy fix to eliminate mosquitos, so we all need to learn to be mosquito smart. But a professional mosquito treatment from Rebel Pest Professionals can certainly be a big help to homeowners and businesses alike.