Why Mosquitos Come Out in the Summer
Come summer and you want to spend more time enjoying your outdoor space. But the presence of mosquitos can be a big deterrent, pushing you back inside the safe confines of your home. These pesky, blood-sucking creatures are a big annoyance as they come swarming to their next meal, i.e., you! What’s worse is that beyond the irritation and itch from their nasty bites, mosquitos are known carriers of viruses and diseases, some of which can be deadly like West Nile virus, Zika virus, and malaria.
Why do mosquitos come out the most in the summer months? Here are some facts compiled by our landscaping experts that address this question and provide useful tips to keep these annoying pests at bay.
4 Reasons Mosquitos Are More Active in the Summer – What Can You Do?
In Pennsylvania, the peak time for mosquitos is between April and October. Here are some reasons why they thrive during these months:
Breeding sites: Mosquito eggs need warm stagnant water that offers organic matter in the form of leaves, grass, or soil, to hatch. Pennsylvania summers are warm, and the abundant rainfall creates the ideal conditions for them to thrive.
Preventative measures
- Don’t let water accumulate in your backyard. Routinely change or empty standing water from planters, bird baths, fountains, and other containers outside.
Favorable weather: Mosquitos thrive in warm temperatures. They are at their busiest during mornings and evenings, or in shady areas when the sun doesn’t shine on them directly.
Preventative measures
- Keep fans in your shaded patio area.
- Grow trees further away from your home’s structure.
Abundant food sources: Summertime iswhen we conduct most outdoor activities. This gives mosquitos ample opportunities to feed on our blood as well as other animals found outside.
Preventative measures
- Cover yourself when outside, making it difficult for mosquitos to bite you. Wear long-sleeved shirts and don’t leave your legs bare.
- Light colored clothing is less attractive to bugs in general, and also for mosquitos.
- Use mosquito repellent sprays/creams, and citronella candles while outdoors.
- Add mesh doors and windows and keep them shut so that these insects do not invade your homes.
Vegetation: Tall shrubs, trees, and grass thrive during the summer months, giving mosquitos the required shade to stay at their active best. Mosquitos also feed on plant nectar during the summer.
Preventative measures
- Mow your lawn often to ensure the grass does not shield them from the sun’s rays.
- Trim shrubs and bushes regularly.
- Grow herbs like basil, peppermint, and rosemary, and flowering plants like geranium and marigold, as these are known mosquito deterrents. Garlic is another natural mosquito repellant and can be grown to keep them off your lawn.
- If necessary, use EPA-approved insect repellants to eliminate them.
Prevent Mosquito Infestation and Enjoy Your Outdoors
Mosquitos can cause a lot of inconvenience and serious illness. Enjoy your summer outdoors by taking the preventative measures mentioned above. If you need professional help to get rid of them, contact reputable experts trained to use safe means for mosquito control.
Greenskeeper’s Bug Barrier program is a safe method that eliminates mosquitos and bugs that may harm you as well as your lawn. Our highly trained lawn technicians inspect all areas around your property and apply our safe formulations covering all areas to ensure their elimination from your outdoor space. Contact us today and enjoy the summers ahead in your mosquito-free backyard.
Check out our service programs or call GREENSKEEPER at 215-938-8440. You can also contact us using our online form for a free quote.