Few things can ruin time outside faster than mosquitoes. The minute you start noticing those bites, you feel like you’re under attack. Then, it’s hard to relax without worrying about your family and guests.
You deserve to be able to enjoy time outdoors without worrying about these blood-sucking pests. That’s why you might be considering mosquito treatment options.
Of course, we know that choosing from various mosquito control options can be confusing. Not only are companies offering professional mosquito control services, but retail options are also available. Before you make a choice, we understand that you have questions.
That’s why we’ve put together this handy guide.
We’ll cover everything that you want to know about controlling mosquitoes and why it’s worth investing in professional services.
As you consider whether or not you want to invest in mosquito treatment for the yard, you might be wondering whether it’s really that big of a deal to control these pests.
Yes, there’s no doubt - mosquitoes are really annoying. Nobody likes getting bitten by mosquitoes when trying to spend time in their own yard. Mosquito bites can be itchy and sometimes even painful.
Mosquitoes use their piercing, sucking mouthparts to draw a blood meal from victims (you, your family, your guests, and even your pets). Females use this blood to produce their eggs. That alone is a reason why people choose to invest in professional mosquito control.
But mosquitoes can also be dangerous.
The Mississippi State Department of Health advises that several mosquito-borne diseases are prevalent in the areas of Corinth, Oxford, Pontotoc & Tupelo, MS, and that homeowners should be aware of these diseases that can be transmitted to humans.
Some of these include:
Of course, pets can also get sick from mosquito bites. Heartworm can be transmitted to pets through the bite of infected mosquitoes. This parasitic infection can be deadly to cats and dogs, leading to major organ failure.
At the end of the day, there’s a good reason why mosquitoes are considered the world’s deadliest animal. While we are very fortunate here in the United States not to have the high death rate that other countries experience, that doesn’t mean that mosquitoes aren’t a health risk to us.
Opting not to protect against mosquitoes can increase that risk.
Mosquitoes live in all different parts of the world. In the United States, there are over 200 different species of mosquitoes. And here in North Mississippi, there are at least 60 different species.
Not all mosquitoes carry disease. Only particular species will carry and transmit diseases to humans and pets. Unfortunately, some of those species are found here in North Mississippi. The Southern House Mosquito and the Asian Tiger Mosquito are two of the species to be concerned about.
On an individual property, mosquitoes typically inhabit areas that are damp, shaded, and sheltered from the wind. Often, this involves landscaping, such as ornamental trees and shrubs. Gutters are also a common breeding ground and hangout spot for mosquitoes, as they often contain standing water. We’ll discuss further how areas of standing water are prime breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
Since mosquitoes are commonly found in our region, professional mosquito control is an important consideration.
If you’ve tried various mosquito control techniques in the past and have felt like you still dealt with mosquitoes, you might be wondering whether there’s something that actually works.
The good news is that there are indeed products that have been scientifically proven to repel mosquitoes.
Unfortunately, these don’t usually involve DIY solutions like mosquito repellent plants, citronella candles, or homemade sprays.
While these types of solutions might repel a few mosquitoes, they simply aren’t going to be strong enough to have a drastic impact on your property’s mosquito population. Since a single female can lay between 100 and 300 eggs at once, a small mosquito problem can become a big one, pretty quickly.
Ultrasonic repelling devices and even light-based repellent solutions have also proven to be ineffective. The fact is, a bloodthirsty mosquito that needs to find its next meal is likely to be motivated enough to overcome discomfort.
Mosquito sprays, particularly those with DEET, are effective at repelling mosquitoes. However, most people don’t want to have to slather themselves with these products when spending time in their own backyard. They also require regular reapplication in order to remain effective.
For this reason, many homeowners turn to yard mosquito treatment. This means using products that are applied to your property to repel mosquitoes.
However, even with this option, variations can still occur. Store-bought mosquito control products may work, but not as effectively as those used by professionals. We’ll address that more in the next section.
When comparing professional vs. DIY mosquito control, there are several reasons why we believe a DIY approach is likely to fall short of your goals and may be more than you bargained for.
While you must come up with a solution that is best for you, the responsibility lies with you.
First and foremost, when you take mosquito control into your own hands, the responsibility of dealing with this pest falls solely on you. That might sound like a good thing, but it also means using up your free time to be out in your yard applying mosquito control products.
These products generally require repeated applications throughout the mosquito season, and most people don’t have time to keep up with that. We’re finding no fault here.
We know that people like to take care of problems themselves, but we also know it can get more time-consuming than they expected.
Safety is critical when it comes to pest control. When you tackle DIY mosquito control, you’re now also responsible for figuring out how to use these products and store them.
Even a safe product can become unsafe if it’s not handled or stored correctly. One of the primary reasons people turn to professional mosquito control is to let a pro handle the tasks they’re trained and equipped to do.
It’s also important to note that DIY mosquito control is not as effective as a professional solution. That’s a pretty big deal when you are talking about a dangerous pest.
Neither homemade mosquito remedies nor store-bought products can match the effectiveness of professional products.
Because so many DIY approaches end up being ineffective, many homeowners do turn to professional control.
However, even with professional mosquito control programs, variations in approach and effectiveness can occur. Misting, fogging, and barrier sprays are three different mosquito control techniques that professionals can use.
With mosquito misting, a fine mist of insecticide is released into the air at certain intervals, targeting mosquitoes as they fly by.
Sometimes, these systems utilize a timer, while at other times, they employ a remote control. The nozzles are placed around your home. The biggest problem with misting is that this fine release of product is often lost to the wind.
Since misting doesn’t involve a targeted application, you’re also risking it that mosquitoes will be flying by when the product is released.
With mosquito fogging, usually the product is applied everywhere.
This is something that towns might do if there’s an area that has been identified as having a high rate of disease-carrying mosquitoes. The goal is to cover as much area as possible, but it’s not highly selective or targeted.
On an individual property, this might involve spraying everything. This is a relatively quick way to treat mosquitoes, as you’re essentially spraying a fog everywhere, rather than targeting specific areas.
This technique involves focusing on mosquito habitats.
Mosquito barrier spray targets mosquitoes that land and rest on treated plants and hard surfaces of your property. The product is applied directly to plants, ensuring it’s not lost to the wind. When mosquitoes land, they’ll be targeted.
At Lawn & Pest Solutions, we utilize barrier spray treatments that are applied using backpack sprayers. It’s essentially a combination of Barrier Spraying and Fogging. Our backpack sprayers release the mosquito control product as a fog, but our technicians target those treatments to specific places where they know mosquitoes will be hiding.
It’s important to note that mosquitoes are weak fliers and often stop to rest. They usually land on your trees and shrubs, so these areas will be specifically targeted. We also use mosquito dunks for bird baths and ponds, which help control mosquito larvae.
Our pest control technicians want you to be successful in controlling mosquitoes. They may also make helpful recommendations about areas of standing water and other issues that might be contributing to your mosquito problem.
Professional mosquito control programs play a crucial role in reducing the mosquito population on your property. However, there are also steps you can take (and should) to prevent mosquito breeding grounds on your own.
The biggest hotspots for mosquito problems are areas of standing water on your property. Mosquitoes require stagnant water for breeding, so eliminating these breeding areas is crucial.
Of course, sometimes standing water goes unnoticed. Keep these areas in mind as prime places where water tends to collect.
Dirty gutters are among the largest breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
When leaves and other debris fall into the gutter and get stuck there, rainwater might fail to drain properly. Clogged gutters actually create ideal spots for breeding because they not only contain stagnant water but also organic matter, which serves as a food source for pests.
Be sure to clean your gutters regularly to ensure they drain properly. Of course, the area of the yard in which a gutter drains can also sometimes become a breeding ground if water starts pooling.
If you’re able to, you might want to consider extending your gutter downspouts so that the water empties in an unused area of the property (or a location where it will drain better).
Kiddie pools, buckets, wheelbarrows, flower pot saucers, wagons, and watering cans can also be common culprits of standing water in the yard.
These items may start collecting water, which can quickly become stagnant if not disposed of. Make an effort to conduct a property walk-through and remove any items that are collecting water.
Even better, keep these items under cover where they won’t fill up.
Sometimes the yard itself can hold excess water. If the lawn isn’t draining well or we get excessive rain, these soggy areas can attract mosquitoes. Often, it can be a low point in the yard (or in a flower bed), which might require regrading to address it fully.
Of course, some areas of water can’t just be dumped, like bird baths and small ponds. In these areas, we can use dunks to prevent larvae from turning into adults.
While you can make every effort in the world to get rid of standing water, it’s never 100 percent possible. Mosquitoes require very little water for breeding (as little as a thimble-full).
Plus, you have to consider the fact that even if you get rid of most of your standing water, it doesn’t mean your neighbors are making the same efforts. That’s why you still need to consider professional mosquito control services, in addition to reducing the amount of standing water.
Another cultural practice you can adopt is maintaining a well-maintained lawn and landscape. This helps to improve airflow and make your property a little less hospitable to pests like mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes love to hide, particularly here in the South, where they want to escape from the sun. Keeping your landscaping trimmed and tidy, without excessive overgrowth, can help play a small role in making these areas less appealing.
The same goes for the lawn. Overgrown grass can become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. But when you keep your lawn regularly mowed, it becomes a little less of a draw to hang around there.
Also, cleaning up leaves and other debris in and around your plant beds will reduce stagnant water from collecting in these spots and also take away a “hiding place” for mosquitoes.
Again, you won’t be able to eliminate mosquitoes around your landscaping (this will always be a favorite “hang-out” spot), but you can at least reduce their populations.
Suppose you’re serious about investing in professional mosquito control services. In that case, you probably want to understand what you’re going to pay and why there can be variations in pricing between different companies.
While we can’t tell you for certain what other mosquito control services charge, we can tell you that mosquito and tick services at Lawn & Pest Solutions are priced at roughly $45 per month.
As with any professional service, it removes the burden from your plate. Additionally, professional mosquito control will deliver optimal results compared to anything you might use on your own.
The correct application of the right product by an experienced technician will eliminate infestations quickly, at minimal expense and frustration, and with significantly less product than a DIY approach would necessitate. And the result of professional service is safety for your family.
You may wonder why different companies charge varying amounts for mosquito control. Here are a few factors that impact pricing.
Technician Experience: Labor is the largest expense of a service-based company. As a result, the service professionals who perform flea, tick, and mosquito control in Northern Mississippi yards are the most essential parts of keeping these pests out of your yard. Therefore, you want to know you are getting technicians worth those costs. Lower prices could mean inexperienced technicians who are paid at lower rates.
Variations in Equipment and Products: There are various quality levels of any product you purchase. Mosquito control pricing reflects the company's products and services. More practical, better-quality products will perform better. A company that charges less might be using subpar products. But products that don’t work waste your money. The right products that are safest to use around people and pets in your yard but also effective against these pests can significantly impact service results. The same goes for equipment. You want to make sure that you’re targeting mosquitoes in their habitat with the right equipment. You don’t want to lose product to the wind.
While you might see some results after one application, mosquito control in North Mississippi, unfortunately, doesn't have a summer-long effectiveness window. The total number of service visits companies perform also influences costs.
You want to ensure that you are fully covered throughout the entire season.
When it comes to choosing a mosquito control service, we know that you have options.
So, how do you compare different companies?
For one, we do not recommend shopping solely on price. While it might be tempting just to get a bunch of quotes and choose the cheapest one, for the reasons that we’ve outlined above in our section on cost, it’s important to know that you get what you pay for with mosquito control.
You want to ensure that you’re choosing a service that effectively controls mosquitoes on your North Mississippi property.
When comparing companies, we also recommend starting the process by visiting their website and getting a sense of what the company is about. You can check out a company’s About Us Page to learn a lot about them and then explore the website to see what services they offer.
Here are just a few things to look for and consider:
As you look through the options for mosquito control in North Mississippi, you’ll learn that some of the companies that offer these services are part of a franchise system.
They have a local branch, but they are part of a national company that services thousands of people around the country. But you ideally want a local company that understands our region.
If you choose a company that solely offers pest control, that’s fine, but you probably have other needs for your property, such as lawn care, that you will still need to hire another company to do. Many homeowners appreciate a company that offers multiple services.
As we’ve discussed, there are various methods for treating mosquitoes. For instance, there is a comparison between mosquito barrier spray and misting. You want to make sure that you’re choosing a company that is using equipment to specifically target mosquito habitats and not just spraying the air (and losing product to the wind). You also want to ensure you’re working with a reputable company that understands how to target mosquito hotspots.
Ultimately, the most crucial factor is selecting a company that has your best interests at heart. With a pest like the mosquito, you want to feel confident that you’re getting effective control and that you no longer have to worry.
Along with applying products to control mosquitoes in your yard, they should also provide helpful recommendations, such as pointing out areas of standing water or suggesting ways to improve landscaping to reduce the likelihood of mosquito breeding grounds.
Choosing professional mosquito control services boils down to peace of mind. When you make a wise choice, you’ll no longer feel like you have to drag the kids or pets inside from playing outdoors. With mosquitoes taken care of, you can finally enjoy more time outside.
At Lawn & Pest Solutions, this is something that we’re passionate about. We care about our clients and want to see them utilize their yards to the fullest. That’s why, in addition to our lawn care services, we offer mosquito control. Our Mosquito 360 Control Program has you fully covered.
Still undecided? Lawn & Pest Solutions wants to help you make the most informed and best decision, so you can enjoy time outside without worry.
Want to learn more about what it will cost to get those mosquitoes out of your North Mississippi yard? Get started today with a free quote. We’ll review your options together so you can make a great choice.