Mosquito and summer go hand-in-hand. Some of the staples for the season, aside from BBQ items, include sunscreen and bug spray. Mosquitoes can spread disease, and make you very uncomfortable with the itchy little bites they leave behind. However, there are natural ways to make mosquitoes stay away from you and your family this season.
Be aware of what mosquitoes love
Knowing what a mosquito is attracted to will go a long way to repelling mosquitoes without having to use chemicals. According to Wesley Frazee, a contributor for the Eco Home Source website, and DoubleDanger.com contributors, some of the favorites conditions for mosquitoes include:
- Areas with stagnant water
- Tall grass
- Areas with debris that harbor moisture
- Sweet or sticky substances
- Perfume and other manufactured personal hygene products
- Your sweat
Basically, they love an unkempt yard with old puddles and cooling shade made by debris or trash. They are attracted to both scents that we enjoy and scents that turn up our noses. Once you figure out what the insects are attracted to, you can then begin to make a plan to reduce their presence in your outdoor living experience. Beyond that, there are three ways to attack this summertime party pooper.
Keep your yard clear and dry
The first is by making your yard the best that it can be. Keep the lawn and vegetation nicely manicured with short grass. Eliminate trash or debris, like piles of old wood or tools. And make sure there are no obvious instances of standing water, where mosquitos lay their eggs.
This has nothing to do with vanity, and everything to do with pest control. By eliminating the spots they love, mosquitoes will no longer want to call your yard home.
Reduce odors, good and bad
The next tasty treat that mosquitoes find lovely is the way people smell, even if they try to cover it up. In fact, perfume and deodorant make it worse. So , think about reducing your use of heavy perfume smells, and add a few new odors while you’re at it. A commercially available vapor rub has a distinctive smell, which is a big turn-off to mosquitoes. Just a bit on your arms and legs while outdoors will likely be enough to repel mosquitoes searching for victims on summer evenings on the deck or patio.
Some strategies for odor-based mosquito repellent can be achieved by adding certain things to your diet. A mosquito’s kryptonite, according to Eco Home Source, includes vitamin B-1, and garlic supplements. There are capsules available for putting B-1 and garlic into your system over a few weeks, which add an odor that only mosquitoes, and not your friends, will detect.
Plant an aromatic herb garden
Many of the herbs that are used for cooking happen to be something that is repulsive to a mosquito. Beautiful basil, luscious lemongrass, and sweet-smelling citronella, the oil of which is commonly used to repel mosquitoes in various forms) are all called anti-mosquito herbs. Not only will you have a beautiful garden to enjoy, but you will be bug free as well. Make this a fun family project while knowing those pesky critters of summer are moving on to green and wet pastures somewhere else.
Winning the battle against bloodthirsty mosquitoes without chemicals
These tips will not eliminate all mosquitoes in your life. There will always be those stubborn few that will come to call. However, if these three steps are taken around your home, you can guarantee that there will be a major reduction in the amount of insects you see flying around.
If you find that mosquitoes in the evenings is still an issue, consider making s’mores over a fun camp fire, or lighting some Tiki torches, many of which contain citronella oil that is a deterrent to roving insects. In any case, mosquito’s are repelled by smoke, and their instinct is to avoid it.
The point of all of this is of course to use natural ways to repel mosquitoes, and to reduce, and ideally eliminate the use of chemicals. The active ingredient in insect repellent, DEET, is reported to have a negative impact on human health, and the health of eco-systems. A healthier, and simpler means of living in the natural world comfortably without chemicals is a great strategy for the summer, and for all seasons besides.
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