Are you a do-it-yourself enthusiast searching for the next project to tackle? There’s no shortage of them to choose from, and many can save you a few bucks and leave you feeling accomplished. Is DIY mosquito control one of them? That’s a question we get asked often, along with which products on the market actually work. The truth is that while many people do have some partial temporary success, the rapid nature of the mosquito life cycle means it requires ongoing attention. In this blog, we’ll tell you what you need to know about DIY mosquito control in Louisiana.
Which store bought products work? Which aren’t worth the money? And most importantly, how do you get the best results for your DIY mosquito control efforts?
Why Does the Mosquito Life Cycle Make Mosquito Control Difficult?
When we say the mosquito life cycle is rapid, we mean it. From egg to adult can be as quick as five days and as much as a month depending on temperature and other conditions. This means that even if you succeed in killing off adult mosquitoes, there are always more mosquitos in stages of development ready to emerge and continue breeding.
This is why the most effective mosquito control you can do around your property is eliminate standing water.
Control Standing Water to Control Mosquitoes
If you’ve been researching DIY home mosquito control strategies and you keep seeing “eliminate standing water around your property,” there’s a reason for that. It really is that important. If mosquitoes can’t find water on your property to breed, they will go and find it somewhere else.
Of course, eliminating water isn’t quite so simple on many properties – especially when mosquitoes only need a few millimeters to lay eggs. Still, it’s a worthwhile tactic for many people to take a walk around outside and eliminate any water that may have pooled in crevices, toys, or other areas following a rainy period.
Which Mosquito Control Measures Does Ja-Roy Recommend?
Every property is different, but depending on the circumstances of your mosquito problem you might consider trying:
- Natural Predators: If your property has a water feature, you probably don’t want to eliminate that. But there is one thing you can do. Get koi fish. This turns a mosquito’s breeding ground into a hunting ground. In fact, there are a number of fish species that snack on mosquito larvae as a delicacy.
- Outdoor Fans: Mosquitoes are poor flyers. In heavy winds, they’re unable to control their bodies with precision, and for this reason they tend to avoid windy areas.
- Mosquito Traps: If you have an area that’s particularly riddled with mosquitoes, targeted deployment of a mosquito trap can be an effective measure.
- Citronella oil / candles: There’s some debate as to the overall effectiveness of citronella candles. They’re not the most effective tool in the shed, but if you’re planning an outdoor get-together, it doesn’t hurt to strategically station citronella candles around the area. Note that their effectiveness will diminish as time goes on.
Which Mosquito Control Measures Are Overhyped?
- Mosquito-Repelling Plants: We won’t discourage you from growing any of these lovely plants in your garden if you enjoy gardening, but temper your expectations with regards to their mosquito repellant properties. Generally, the smell of plants like citronella, catnip, lavender, and basil will not be strong enough to distract a hungry breeding mosquito sniffing for a blood meal. These plants and others are more potent in oil form.
- Lighting: Mosquitoes don’t see light in the same way we do, or how other insects like moths do. They are not attracted to light, so lighting traps aren’t effective against them, though they can be against other pests.
What About Store Bought DIY Repellents?
Store bought repellents can have some effectiveness, although like these other solutions they’re only likely to be partial and temporary against bad mosquito infestations. And whenever talking about using an insecticide solution, we recommend hiring a professional home pest control company instead because they can be difficult to use and dangerous if misused.
Professional Mosquito Control Gives You Peace of Mind
You can do everything possible to make your property less attractive to mosquitoes and they’ll still show up. That’s just how it goes sometimes with these ubiquitous pests. In these cases, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re doing anything wrong. These pests are just that relentless.
Don’t overwork yourself and get frustrated with a lack of results. Call a professional mosquito exterminator like the team at Ja-Roy. We’ll get you results, and peace of mind.
DIY Mosquito Control Do’s and Don’ts for Louisiana in Southern Louisiana
Ja-Roy Pest Control Services is a local Pest Control and Extermination company helping homeowners and businesses with pest issues across Southern Louisiana.
