For most of us, the warm seasons are a peak time for outdoor activities. Unfortunately for us, the warm season is also the time for peak mosquito activity. During mosquito season, avoiding mosquito bites begins by protecting your own property from an invasion.
Hiring a professional mosquito control service to treat your yard is your best line of defense. But for those who haven’t tried this service yet, here are the answers for seven of the most frequently asked questions about mosquito control service.
1. Why do I need mosquito control service?
Mosquitoes just about top the list of the “worst insect pests of all time.” After all, who isn’t familiar with the itchy, painful bites that mosquitoes leave behind after they pay you a visit? And while days of itchy, oozy mosquito bites are a nuisance we’d all prefer to forego, there is a more threatening reason to avoid mosquitoes…they can carry potentially fatal diseases.
Mosquito season lasts from summer to fall, and every year Texans take extra precautions to avoid the spread of West Nile Virus (WNV) and Zika Virus, two of the most common mosquito-borne illnesses found in the United States. Both of these diseases have claimed many lives in the United States, and, as neither has a cure or vaccine, you’re best chance to protect yourself and your family is to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes.
Your first line of defense is always applying insect repellant before heading outside during mosquito season.
However, local officials in Texas highly recommend that residents take the extra step of having their property treated with a professional mosquito service.
Having a barrier spray professionally applied around your home and yard can eradicate potentially dangerous mosquitoes from your property.
So why do you need mosquito control service? It is your best chance to keep irritating and potentially disease-carrying mosquitoes OFF your land. For more information about mosquitoes and how they affect your property, check out our blog Mosquito Treatment in Frisco, Texas.
2. What time of year do I need to worry most about mosquitoes?
Mosquito season is typically May through October. We say “typically” because mosquito populations will begin to grow as soon as temperatures warm up, and naturally every year weather patterns change slightly and can be unpredictable.
You should be prepared to begin encountering mosquitoes when the overnight temperature in your area is consistently above 50º. The months with peak mosquito activity are usually June-August, but population numbers don’t usually drop off till the cooler temperatures of October and November move in.
During the mosquito season months, you should also take extra precautions if you plan on being outdoors around dawn and dusk. The mosquitoes that are known to carry WNV are most active around sunrise and sunset, so be sure to wear insect repellant and long sleeves and pants if possible.
3. Why are there so many mosquitoes in my yard?
If you’re noticing large numbers of mosquitoes in your yard, part of the problem may be that you are creating a mosquito paradise without knowing it. Mosquitoes are drawn to wet and shady environments. Mosquitoes require water for breeding, and even a tiny amount of standing water will attract mosquitoes. These insects lay their eggs in the standing water and the eggs will hatch after 7 days leading to even more mosquitoes buzzing around your property.
Now it be challenging to locate and remove every source of standing water on your property, but it is certainly in your best interest to try. Obvious areas such as birdbaths or plastic pools should be dumped every two days and have the water replaced.
Some spots that need to be checked aren’t as obvious, such as trash can lids, plant pots, furniture, gutters, rain spouts, buckets and yard toys. Check around your grass to see if any puddles have formed and remained stagnant. Dump and remove any areas of stagnant water from your property.
Mosquitoes also prefer cool, shaded environments. These insects will happily nest under porches or in overgrown plants. Maintaining neat, trimmed plants and bushes will absolutely help to discourage these bugs from making their home in your yard.
If examining your entire yard seems too overwhelming of a task, then that’s another reason to hire a mosquito control service. The pest professionals will inspect your property and notify you of any sources that may be attracting mosquitoes. To learn more about where mosquitoes live, read our blog on common questions people have about mosquitos in Dallas.
4. Does professional mosquito control really work?
Absolutely. If you’re determined to protect yourself and your family from mosquitoes then a professional mosquito control service is your best option. The spray applied during service visits can eliminate entire mosquito populations and their larvae.
However, pest professionals don’t just spray, they also inspect your property for anything that may be drawing mosquitoes in. A mosquito control service makes sure you are as protected as you can be.
Local Texas health officials highly recommend that residents have their yard’s professionally treated all during mosquito season. Mosquito control service is one of the most effective options to avoid mosquito bites and to help stop the spread of WNV.
5. How long does the mosquito control last?
The barrier spray applied to your property will keep mosquitoes away for 3-4 weeks. After the barrier spray has sat for a about month, the sun causes the product to break down. During mosquito season, we recommend that you have your yard re-treated every 3-4 weeks to best protect your property from mosquitoes.
Store bought or do-it-yourself products don’t last nearly as long or protect you nearly as well as a professional mosquito service.
Monthly mosquito control provides you with the best protection.
6. What if it rains after my yard has been treated?
The spray product used during professional mosquito control applications only requires about a half an hour to adequately dry. Once the spray has had 30 minutes or so to dry, the product has completely set in. Any rain or water will not change the effectiveness of the product at that point. After 3-4 weeks the spray is eventually broken down by the sun, but water will not remove the spray.
7. What does mosquito control service include?
Depending on the size of your property, mosquito control service visits will probably only take about 25-45 minutes, but that’s all it takes for experts to thoroughly protect your property from mosquitoes. During their visit, pest professionals will fully and carefully inspect your property to find mosquito breeding grounds. The technician will make you aware of any mosquito hot spots in your yard, and tell you how to keep those areas clear.
If there are any areas of standing water that can’t be removed, the technician can treat them “mosquito dunks” to keep the mosquitoes from using the water as a breeding ground. These “dunks” will kill mosquito larvae, but are harmless to wildlife.
After a thorough inspection, the technician will apply the spray to the most appropriate targeted areas for optimal results. Barrier spray mosquito control is designed for careful, exact application to target mosquitoes at their source. The spray treatments require about 30 minutes to fully dry, and after that you can spend the next couple weeks enjoying your yard to the fullest! For the best protection, you should plan to have visits every three during mosquito season.
The best thing included with mosquito control service is peace of mind. This service allows you to enjoy your yard to the fullest without worrying about any pesky mosquitoes buzzing around.
Mosquito Control Service with Gecko Green
Gecko Green is a local, family owned business that genuinely cares about its customers and our community. Our expertly trained technicians are dedicated to delivering exceptional results. Here at Gecko Green, we only use the best solutions available.
Our mosquito control treatments in North Texas are so effective that we can eliminate your mosquito population in no time! Our services are always guaranteed so give us a call today for a free quote.
