How to Get Rid of Mosquitoes the Right Way

Posted on January 19, 2020

How to Get Rid of Mosquitoes the Right Way

For most people mosquitoes are just a nuisance that come out during the summertime. Sure, the bites you get from a mosquito are annoying, but they can also pose serious health risks.

In NSW, certain species of mosquitoes can transmit viruses such as Barmah Forest and Ross River fever. When infected, you can experience a number of flu-like symptoms, including fever, chills, headaches, and aches and pains in the joints and muscles.

These health risks aren’t just isolated to Australia either. If you travel overseas and get bit by a mosquito, you could be at serious risk of dengue, yellow fever, and malaria. Many of these diseases can make you incredibly sick and could even be fatal.

For these reasons, it’s worth knowing how to get rid of mosquitoes. Not just in the home, but wherever you are in the world. So, let’s take a closer look at which mosquito treatments actually work, and which ones are merely placebos with a price tag.

What Doesn’t Work

Citronella Candles

There is a lot of debate surrounding the use of citronella candles.

Citronella candles

Companies like Mortein sell citronella candles and coils, which are designed to be lit in an outdoor area and the naturally occurring oils help to repel mosquitoes from the area.  These products are popular as they are relatively affordable, easy to use, and are a low risk pesticide to use around pets and humans.

But do they get rid of mosquitoes? According to a recent study published in the Journal of Insect Science, the answer is: not really.

In this test, scientists recreated an average outdoor entertainment area, such as a patio. They tested 11 different types of popular mosquito repellent products, which included five sprays, five wearable devices, and a citronella candle. And the results? Unfortunately, the citronella candle did little to dissuade the mosquitoes from entering the space and biting the participants.[1]

Are there any situations where citronella candles do work? According to the same study, it states that citronella oil can repel mosquitoes to a degree, but only in small areas with very little air movement.

This means you should rely on other forms of repellents to keep mosquitoes away.

Mosquito Repellent Wrist Bands

Mosquito Repellent wrist bandsThese wearable wrist bands contain botanical products such as citronella or peppermint oil in order to repel mosquitoes. When worn, the bands slowly release the vapour to fill the air and protect the wearer.

While the idea is promising in theory, the reality is, they provide very little protection. The main reason why is that, although they contain the right repellent ingredients, the vapour simply isn’t strong enough to block mosquito bites.

Even if the bracelets do keep mosquitoes away from the same arm that the wristband is on – the mosquitoes can easily feed on another part of the body.[2]

 

What Does Work?

Now that we’ve covered the products that provide very little relief from mosquitoes, let’s take a closer look at treatments that actually do get rid of mosquitoes.

Get Rid of Standing Water sources

Did you know that mosquitoes can breed in stagnant, standing sources of water? It’s true. In fact, water is exactly where mosquitoes choose to lay their eggs. And it only takes around six to ten days for these eggs to hatch.

To prevent the risk of mosquitoes breeding in or around your home, be sure to remove (or minimise) any sources of standing water. Some of the most common sources of standing water includes:

  • Birdbaths
  • Unfinished drinks
  • Buckets
  • Flower pots
  • Rubbish bins
  • Pet water bowls
  • Leftover food – i.e. soup or broths
  • Pooling water on rooftops or gutters
  • Leaking plumbing fixtures
  • Storm drains

Be sure to thoroughly check both inside and outside your home, and try to remove any water stands.

In the case of essential water – i.e. pet water bowls, birdbaths – be sure to replace the water every 2-3 days or more often.

No luck with trying to get rid of mosquitoes? Contact us today for safe and effective mosquito relief.

Grow Mosquito Repellent plants

 

Grow Mosquito repellent plantsCertain types of plants can help to deter mosquitoes from your home. Some of the most notable include garlic and lavender, marigold, rosemary, peppermint, and ageratum.

Not only will these plants help keep mosquitoes at bay – but also give your garden some lovely colour and brightness.

 

Apply Topical sprays to the skin

Applying the right mosquito repellents to the skin is one of the most effective ways to keep mosquitoes at bay.

You can make your own spray solution at home. Some of the most popular herbal remedies include lemon eucalyptus oil, witch hazel, essential oils (i.e. lavender, rosemary, citronella, and geranium), and even vanilla extract. Simply mix one of these ingredients with water and place into a spray bottle.

Alternatively, purchase a commercial mosquito repellent that can protect you from bites, without irritating the skin.

Products containing DEET (N,N-Diethyl-m-toluamide) can help repel mosquitoes. This ingredient interferences with the neurons and receptors found in the mosquitoes antennae and part of their mouths. As a result, this makes it harder for mosquitoes to land on you and bite you.

For users with sensitive skin, there are non-DEET based products on the market, which contain ingredients that produce similar results like picaridin, and oil of lemon eucalyptus.

Contact the Pest Experts

These are just some of the most effective ways to repel mosquitoes. Although, if you’re experiencing a recurring problem with mosquitoes, then you may need a professional treatment plan.

At All Bugs, we’re the experts in providing safe, effective, and reliable mosquito control for homes and businesses. Our team use their local knowledge and the latest methods to provide long-term relief from mosquitoes.

By inspecting both inside and outside the premise, our team can identify areas of high termite activity, possible entry points, and the location of breeding grounds. With this information, they will propose the right treatment plan for you.

The two most effective treatments include: applying larvicide to stagnant water in order to prevent breeding, and applying adulticide spray to areas of high mosquito activity.

Your pest controller will put in place the treatment and perform follow-up visits until total elimination is achieved.

Having no luck with trying to get rid of mosquitoes? Contact All Bugs today, and let our pest experts carry out a professional treatment for you.

[1] https://academic.oup.com/jinsectscience/article/17/1/24/2996380

[2] https://theconversation.com/health-check-do-wrist-bands-work-to-repel-mozzies-50186

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