If you’re asking yourself “why are there mosquitoes in my Kansas backyard?” chances are that mosquito season is in full force.
What Attracts Mosquitoes?
Water is a major attraction for mosquitoes since it’s needed for them to reproduce. Mosquitoes spend about 75 percent of their life in water. These pests prefer fresh water without a filtration system for the purpose of laying eggs.
Unfortunately, your backyard could have plenty of options to support this type of environment for mosquitoes to reproduce. Items such as buckets, birdbaths, trash can lids, wheelbarrows, old tires, flowerpots, and outdoor pet bowls are all attractive to mosquitoes as they can capture and retain water for lengths of time.
Since mosquitoes are small and lightweight, they need shelter for protection from the elements. Because of this, they look for objects stacked in your yard such as leaves, compost piles, grass clippings, branches, twigs, and sticks to provide an ideal shelter. If your yard has high grass, shrubs, overgrown vegetation, and natural areas that aren’t cut back or pruned, it could create additional places of protection.
Mosquitoes could also find a home in gutters and downspouts that aren’t cleaned regularly and get clogged with twigs, leaves, acorns, and other debris that prevent water from draining properly. The clogs serve two purposes for mosquitoes. The debris provides protection and provides a source of standing water.
You can help deter mosquitoes from infesting your yard by addressing each of these attractions.
To Eliminate Standing Water:
- Frequently check any items in your yard that can hold water. No matter how little it may be.
- Eliminating these sources can help decrease mosquito breeding.
To Prepare Your Home:
- Keep your yard free and clear of yard debris.
- Mowing the grass, trimming trees, and cutting back shrubs and vegetation regularly decreases the chances of a mosquito infestation.
- Inspect drains and gutters frequently to ensure they are free of debris and clogs, so rainwater can drain freely. Otherwise, this becomes a convenient mosquito breeding ground.
The Dangers of Mosquito Bites
While mosquito bites are annoying and sometimes unsightly, they can also be dangerous. Mosquitoes are known carriers and transporters of dengue fever, yellow fever, the Zika virus, and West Nile virus. Three species are responsible for these diseases and all are found in Kansas. The species are the Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus, and Culex spp.
While over-the-counter bug sprays, citronella coils, and repellents can help temporarily alleviate your yard of mosquitoes, they are not effective in the long term.
Professional Mosquito Control
Whether you’re planning an outdoor barbecue with family and friends or just relaxing on the deck watching the sun go down, enjoying the time without buzzing and biting mosquitoes is possible with help from Schendel Pest Services. We’re here to help you get rid of mosquitoes. Contact us today to schedule your first treatment.
