I have a really bad mosquito issue around my back door and patio area. There is no standing water and it is not damp, I purchased a mister but it only attracted more. What can I do to get rid of them?

Answer #2 · Gardenality.com's Answer · I have a major problem with mosquitoes in my yard as well. Have found no spray that works well to control then long term. As John said, eliminating standing water is one way to reduce populations...but mosquitoes can travel long distances so the sources may be too far away to control. Plants and candles containing citronella help to repel them. The best thing I've found to repel them is a product you wear like a bracelet called Superband, an insect repelling band made by a company called Evergreen Products. As long as I have one of these bands on my wrist or ankle the mosquitoes stay away. Here's a link to the companies website:

http://www.bugbutton.com/our-products/super-band/

In my yard I think the mosquitoes are breeding under my back deck. The rain goes through the gaps between the wood decking and then stands in rows in the soil. I'm planning on tearing my deck down this summer and installing a flagstone patio...that should help. I have a garden pond too but two waterfalls keep the surface of the water constantly moving so this shouldn't be a source for mosquito breeding. Mosquitoes will only lay eggs in still water.

Brent)

Answer #1 · Maple Tree's Answer · Hi Jeff-Mosquitoes are definitely a real problem. There is really no way to get rid of them completely that I have found. There are ways of controlling them and keeping them away for a period of time in order to enjoy your outdoor area for awhile.
Like you know they need standing water to lay eggs and breed. It only takes the smallest amount, about a quarter of an inch, of water collecting in a rain gutter, under patios, or under any debri in the yard. Just make sure any debri in gutters or any junk laying around the yard is free from any water. Possibly your misters drew them to moist areas around the patio they felt they could lay eggs in.

There are plants that will deter mosquitoes that contain 'citronella' that can be planted around the yard. How effective they are I guess depends on the amount of plants, wind, time of day, and other factors. Any little control is better than nothing. I noted below a link to an article that give a list of plants that will help to deter mosquitoes. Just click on the link to go directly to the article.

Besides calling in a pest control company that is only going to spray around that will not last for any period of time you can buy foggers that keep the critters at bay for awhile again untill the wind picks up. I'm not really fond of using pesticides in the air. I would rather keep to a more organic way of control.

I have seen advertised ultrosonic devices that supposedly scare off mosquitoes. Unfortunately they scare of any of your animals also and from what I have read have not been proven to be effective.

Of course there are many lotions and sprays that can be applied to the skin that work really well, but a pain to always have to use them everytime you want to enjoy the outdoors for even a little while. Fortunately I have very little problem with mosquitoes where I live, but we do have enough to wake up once in awhile in the morning iching a bit. We have had decent evenings on the patio using citronella candles that have a lot more concentrated forms of the citronella oil that plants have. They don't keep a large area free of the pests, but putting several around the patio have been very effective. They do seem to put up a barrier the mosquitoes don't like to enter into.

There isn't really a lot you can do other than protecting yourself and get rid of any water or areas that they can breed in. I also noted a link below to another question as yours and the answer also that you may be interested in reading.


http://www.gardenality.com/Questions/452/How-To-Info/Techniques-and-Methods/What-Plants-Deter-Or-Repel-Mosquitoes.html

http://www.gardenality.com/Articles/918/Problems-and-Solutions/Insects/Repel-Mosquitoes-the-Natural-Way/default.html

I wish there was an easy way to totally rid ourselves of this pest, but as of yet there isn't any I know of.

John)