Mosquitoes are quite annoying. The constant humming or humming – or whatever you call it – makes it impossible to sleep soundly. Furthermore, these pests are known to be the providers of the dreaded dengue virus and malaria. They are also guilty of transmitting other viruses, such as West Nile virus, dog heartworm, and yellow fever. In this article, we’ll explore some of the ways you can take control of this infuriating situation.
Do not leave standing water: mosquitoes breed in standing water. To reduce the number of mosquitoes around your home, you need to be vigilant to make sure all of those sources are eliminated. Common sources of standing water are flower pots, garbage cans, and drains. Make sure these and similar containers are kept free of water.
Reduce shady areas where they can hide – mosquitoes are nocturnal creatures. As such, they come out in full force at night, but spend their days hiding in the cool areas of their vegetation. Go in search of these potential areas and eliminate them by cutting out the areas where they are likely to reside. Make it uncomfortable for little pests during the day and you will reduce the amount of pests that bother you at night.
Turn on your air conditioning unit – Mosquitoes don’t like cold air, so an effective way to get rid of them is to simply turn the unit on. You will be amazed at the speed at which mosquitoes suddenly ‘disappear’.
Turn on the fan – Another quick trick to get rid of these pesky little critters is to simply turn on a fan and blow them away. This is a great alternative for those who cannot handle the cold air generated by the air conditioning unit.
Use a DEET-based mosquito repellent – Repellants are an effective way to keep mosquitoes away. According to the American Mosquito Control Association, DEET is “the gold standard” in terms of the active ingredient used in repellants. The implication of this is that when you are shopping for repellants, read the labels to make sure DEET is included.
ULV Foggers – A great alternative to getting rid of the pest in your outdoor surroundings is to use a ULV fogger. A ULV fogger is a machine that generates a mist of ultra-low volume droplets that contain ingredients that kill mosquitoes. While there are many types of nebulizers, studies have shown that the use of ultra-low volume drops has been effective in fighting the mosquito.
While there may be a few more methods you can use, we are confident that the tips provided here are effective in the battle against the plague. However, it is in your best interest to do your own due diligence so as not to be fooled by every new fad. In fact, there has been talk of using ultrasound technology to kill the mosquito, however, according to the tests carried out, this method does nothing to kill the creatures.
