Orlando – Ever plop down in a comfy chair to enjoy the warm summer evening and suddenly you hear a buzzing in your ear? There’s nothing quite like a mosquito serenade at the BBQ, said no one ever.
Turns out, mosquitoes love warm evenings and exposed ankles. They also don’t care if they’re invited to the cookout or not. They show up in masses.
Mosquitoes, like many people, enjoy the warm, humid summer evenings. In fact, their favorite temperature range is 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit. During the heat of the day, mosquitoes seek shelter from excessive heat and direct sunlight which can dehydrate them.
Given they only live a few weeks, mosquitoes thrive by seeking shady spots during peak heating and then come out at dusk or dawn in hungry swarms.
These little swamp angels also love water, and they’re not picky. Any puddle of water, whether it’s in a planter or on a leaf, will attract mosquitoes. With all the recent rain, there’s probably a mosquito vacation destination right in your backyard.
So, how do we combat them without spraying chemicals everywhere? Turns out there are a few eco-friendly ways to keep our unofficial state bird away and your friends and family bite-free.
Planting herbs around homes is not only aesthetically pleasing and great to have on hand, but mosquitoes dislike the smell. Sounds like a big win, but which plants keep the ankle biters away?
Plant selections include lavender, basil, dill, rosemary, mint, sage, fennel, citronella, garlic, lemongrass, oregano, chives, thyme, eucalyptus, lemon and bee balm, and flowering plants such as marigolds and chamomile.
Don’t forget the catnip! That’s right: according to the EPA, the oils from catnip are a great mosquito repellent.
Catnip is in the mint family and has a herby, floral, sweet, minty smell to it that can also calm and relax the mind when used as an essential oil. Not only will the mosquitoes stay away, but your furry felines will love you for it too!
Fans are a great resource for staying cool and keeping mosquitoes away. Mosquitoes are weak fliers, so any steady breeze will knock them off their course and from pitching on your body for dinner.
The key to making this work is to set the fan low on the ground. That’s where mosquitoes tend to fly since they can be carried away by stronger winds.
Recently on social media, there was a video stating that bubble machines for children can keep away mosquitoes, too. While that has a lot to do with the little fans in the bubble machines, there is some truth in the claim that soap will repel mosquitoes, but not all scents.
Mosquitoes are attracted to humans by our body odor, the carbon dioxide in our breath, and even the clothing we wear. Soap can help repel mosquitoes by masking our natural scent, but not all soaps deter them.
In fact, studies have shown over the years that the way soap interacts with everyone is different. That’s why two people could use the same soap or wear the same perfumes and lotions and smell different.
The soap that repelled the most mosquitoes had a limonene base in it which is from citrus. From the list of plants mentioned earlier in this article, citrus does keep mosquitoes away pretty well. The other soap that mosquitoes were consistently repulsed by was coconut.
Coconut-derived oils are a strong repellant as are other coconut-related chemicals in the soap. While this is not a guaranteed fix to any mosquito problem, it can help along with DEET for ultimate protection. Citronella scents help too.
Just a few things to keep in mind as preventative maintenance around the yard. Flip over buckets that accumulate water quickly, that included empty planters, or anything where water has settled. Bird baths should be dumped often and refreshed to prevent mosquito breeding. Bromeliads collect water too.
Turn the plant over to dump water or rinse with a hose regularly and make sure the organic material is removed too. Just put it this way, look around the yard, and if there is anything that can hold water, dump it or rinse it out.
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