5 Easy Steps to Control Mosquitoes
Keep Mosquitoes Out of Your Buffalo Area Home and Yard
Mosquitoes can do much more than ruin a perfect summer evening. They can transmit disease, cause distress for yourself, your children and your pets, and transform your yard into a veritable mosquito breeding ground. As a leading home inspection company in the Buffalo and Rochester area, we’ve seen mosquito problems rapidly fly out of control. A quick look at a few mosquito statistics illustrates how.
Mosquitoes by the Numbers
- 100 or more: Number of mosquito eggs some females can lay in a single batch
- 24 to 48 hours: Length of time it takes eggs to hatch into larvae
- 1 week: Length of time it takes standing water to turn into a bona fide mosquito breeding habitat
- 0: Number of young expected to survive if you totally eliminate their water habitat
Eliminating Mosquitoes around Your Buffalo Area Home
The most effective way to eliminate mosquitoes around your Buffalo area home is to eliminate their water habitats. These five tips can help.
1. Look for existing or potential trouble zones. Trouble zones are any areas that may end up accumulating standing water. They may include:
- Low yard areas where water collects after rain
- Yard art or debris that holds accumulated water
- Clogged gutters or downspouts
- Areas along walkways, patios, edging or retaining walls where water lingers
2. Start with the easy fixes. Start by unclogging gutters and downspouts, getting rid of water-catching debris and adjusting or eliminating water-collecting yard art and other fixtures.
3. Move to the tougher areas. Low-lying portions of your Buffalo and Rochester area property should be next on your list. Target areas that stay muddy and wet, along with other zones where water accumulates.
4. Assess the full scope of the problem. Your yard may contain multiple areas that accumulate standing water, and you want to make sure you address them all.
5. Determine and install the proper solution for each area. A number of fixes can work to solve various problems.
- Low-lying areas in yard: An underground cavity known as a dry well can be installed beneath the ground in the low-lying area. Instead of remaining stagnant in your yard, water will seep into the dry well, eventually soaking back into the soil.
- Downspout runoff: A catch basin system can “catch” rainwater as it leaves the downspout and shuttle it through underground pipes to drain in a safe location, away from the foundation of your home.
- Water on or along walkways: A French drain system consists of an underground drainage pipe that collects water along its entire length. The accumulated water travels to a safe location where it can properly drain.
One last tip is to protect yourself, your kids and your pets with family friendly repellent options. Natural botanical repellents exist, while citronella and other scents can also help keep mosquitoes at bay.