Looking for a few all-natural methods to rid your yard of mosquitoes? When it comes to defending backyards, front yards and outdoor living spaces from annoying pests, nothing quite compares to the battle humans have with mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes can ruin a perfect outdoor evening in short order. And if it’s not enough to deal with their painful, itchy bites, they also carry the threat of disease every time they chomp into your skin.
But can you really stop them? And even more, without having to resort to commercial bug sprays and “bug bombs” that have a long list of questionably safe ingredients?
The answer is yes, you really can take your backyard over from mosquitoes. Even better, you don’t have to resort to chemical sprays to do it! Believe it or not, by combining a few simple methods that can deter them – and employing a few tried and true natural remedies, you can put a serious dent in your backyard mosquito population.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at a few surprising facts you might not know about what attracts mosquitoes and what doesn’t – and then cover four of the best all-natural methods for all-natural mosquito control.
What Attracts Mosquitoes To Humans – How To Get Rid Of Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes are attracted heavily to scents. Unfortunately, many of the scents humans put off regularly. Mosquitoes love the scent of deodorants, perfume, floral oils and lotions. And just in case you think to not wear any of those to deter them, they also gravitate towards body and skin odor!
They find these scents via chemical markers and follow them to dine on your skin. Mosquitoes are also attracted to gases such as carbon dioxide. And that little fact means that contrary to popular belief, your backyard fire pit might be attracting mosquitoes and not repelling them. That is, if it is a gas fire pit!
If you light your backyard gas fire pit thinking the flame will help to keep mosquitoes away, it won’t. In fact, the carbon dioxide emitted by the fire actually brings more mosquitoes to the party.
But here is the interesting twist. A wood fire pit can actually help repel mosquitoes. The smoke from the wood embers is offensive to mosquitoes and will drive them away. Throw a little sage or rosemary on the fire as it burns, and it can really clear them out!
Now that we know a little about what attracts mosquitoes to your yard, let’s look at what can stop them in their tracks.
4 Ways To Get Rid Of Mosquitoes In Your Yard
#1 – Attract Mosquito Predators!
One of the best ways of all to keep your backyard mosquito population in check is by attracting predators.
Purple martins, bluebirds, robins and bats are all predators that are all extremely efficient at devouring mosquitoes. It almost sounds too good to be true, but they can eat thousands of mosquitoes per day, and all for free!
But to bring these helpful predators in, you need to create an inviting space for them to live. And the best way to do that? Provide them with long term shelter! Many birds, such as bats, purple martins and bluebirds can be brought in by simply offering them a home.
Martin houses and bluebird houses are notorious for keeping insect populations under control. As are bat houses. In fact, bats are one of the most efficient of all predators when it comes to dining on mosquitoes.
By simply erecting a few “homes” around the outskirts of your yard for any of these birds, you will be amazed at the natural protection they can provide. Product Links : Blue Bird House – Purple Martin Birdhouse
But don’t just stop with providing a home, you can also provide them food to keep them around as well. A few basic bird feeders will do wonders for attracting a whole slew of predatory birds that love to consume mosquitoes.
One thing is for sure, whether by feeding them or giving them a home, attracting beneficial birds can go a long way toward keeping mosquitoes at bay!
#2 Use The Power Of Moving Air! How To Get Rid of Mosquitoes
So here is a little mosquito fact you might not be aware of – mosquitoes hate fans and moving air!
For starters, mosquitoes, with their thin and frail insect bodies, find it extremely difficult to fly when there is a strong breeze. They are unable to navigate the air stream, and have even more issues trying to actually fly to their target.
But strong breezes and wind also prevent mosquitoes from finding you in the first place. If you remember, back at the beginning of the article, we covered how mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide.
As humans, we omit carbon dioxide every time we exhale. Carbon dioxide that mosquitoes can sense and then follow to inflict their bites and pain. But when there is a strong wind or current, carbon dioxide is diffused and quickly dispersed.
The end result is that mosquitoes then have a much harder time finding you. Especially when they have to attempt to fly through a strong breeze to get to you in the first place.
Using Fans To Repel & Get Rid Of Mosquitoes
Of course, not many of us want to be outdoors during a strong wind storm. But if you did, for the record, you would have little issues with mosquitoes!
But what you can do is use the power of fans to keep them at bay. Especially on porches, patios and decks. By simply installing or setting up a few fans nearby, you can all but end mosquito attacks in the general vicinity.
#3 Eliminate All Standing Water – How To Get Rid of Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes breed in still water. By eliminating any sources of stagnant water around your home and landscape, you can put a sever dent in their breeding cycle.
But to eliminate all sources of stale water, you have to look long and hard. For starters, old tires, buckets and any vessel that can collect and hold water need to be eliminated.
Mosquitoes can lay and hatch larvae in as little as 48 hours. That means a single rainfall that collects in any container can produce mosquitoes fast! But don’t just stop there. If you have a children’s pool or bird bath fountain, its vital to empty and replace the water regularly.
Last but not least, remember that spouting and downspouts can be a breeding ground too. If they are clogged with debris, they become excellent places for water to lie, and mosquitoes to breed.
One thing is for sure, if you eliminate a mosquitoes ability to multiply, you eliminate future generations from haunting your outdoor spaces! And one of the best ways to do that is to eliminate any standing water around your property.
Growing Plants That Repel Mosquitoes – How To Get Rid of Mosquitoes
Finally, what you plant in your yard and around your patio and deck can play a big role in helping to keep mosquitoes away.
Certain plant give off scents or chemical markers that mosquitoes are not fond of. And when planted in or near sitting areas, these plants can do wonders for helping to repel mosquitoes.
Marigolds and nasturtiums are two of the least favorite flowers and scents for mosquitoes. Nasturtium plants produce a unique chemical marker that mosquitoes detest. Once detected, they tend to stay far away from wherever the plants grow.
Marigolds are another extremely beneficial flower to grow around patios and decks. The pungent scent of both the marigold’s foliage and flower has the same deterring effect on mosquitoes. Not only can you add beauty to your area – but keep it bug free too!
As an added bonus, both nasturtiums and marigolds also help to keep other annoying pests such as aphids, whiteflies and squash bugs as well. Nasturtiums are wonderful in planted pots on patio tables, or as a border edging plant in beds. Marigolds make a great garden border plant or when planted in large patio pots.
Here is to protecting your outdoor spaces to get of mosquitoes naturally this year. And to enjoying living outdoors to the fullest all summer long! Happy Gardening, Jim and Mary.
Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. The two are frequent speakers on all things gardening and love to travel in their spare time.
As always, feel free to email us at thefarm@owgarden.com with comments, questions, or to simply say hello! You can sign up for our free email list in the subscribe now box in the middle of this article. Follow us on Facebook here : OWG Facebook. This article may contain affiliate links.