DIY Home Mosquito Repellents for Summer

a mosquito on the rim of a pot outside

As we approach the warm season in East Tennessee, it’s easy to fantasize about backyard barbeques and long nights on the porch. But the last guests you want invited to the party are mosquitos. These bloodsucking pests will ruin any shindig and leave your yard virtually uninhabitable. 

 

What can you do to treat a mosquito infestation? You likely know by now that companies like Johnson Pest Control can treat mosquitoes in yards and properties across East Tennessee, but is it possible to handle an invasion on your own? Are there any DIY mosquito repellents that actually work?

Do DIY Mosquito Repellents Work?

There are a variety of home mosquito control “solutions” touted across the internet. With so many conflicting voices out there, it can be difficult to discern what is and isn’t actually useful. Let’s go into more detail about a few supposed life-hacks and determine if they work, and to what extent.

Citronella 

Citronella is a divisive tool in the world of pest control. In plant form or concentrated into an oil, it can be effective at repelling mosquitos and other pests. Even as a candle it can work, but only in a very small radius. The main problem is it’s only a temporary deterrent. Citronella won’t keep mosquitoes from reproducing on your property, and when the smell is gone, they’ll be back.

Clearing Standing Water

Mosquitoes need standing water to reproduce, so if you can get rid of any pools or puddles of water in your yard you can get rid of mosquitoes. But it’s not so simple. It can be hard to address every source of standing water in a single property, as these bloodsucking pests can breed in bodies of water as small as a thimble. But by eliminating as many as you can, along with bird baths or other pools of water, you’re greatly reducing the options for any passing pests.

Light Traps 

You can buy a bug zapper and see it kill all kinds of small insects – including mosquitoes. But if there is an infestation on your property, killing a few mosquitos in a very specific radius isn’t going to be very helpful. In fact, the light of the zapper might actually work against your favor by drawing them closer to where people congregate.

Box Fans

Mosquitoes are a nuisance, but they’re a small nuisance that can easily be deterred by a strong current or breeze. So if you want to create a sting-free zone, you can set up a box fan and leave it running. This small addition can reduce mosquito bites by upwards of 65 percent, but like citronella it won’t stop them from breeding elsewhere in your yard. 

Your East Tennessee Mosquito Exterminators

If you’ve tried any or all of the solutions above without any relief from mosquitoes, that’s okay. These pests can be relentless and difficult to treat on your own. Luckily, if you’re a property owner in East Tennessee, you have a friend in the expert mosquito extermination team at Johnson Pest Control. We’ve been combating mosquito infestations large and small for over 40 years, and we have skills and experience that can’t be beat. 

Summertime in East Tennessee can be beautiful. With our help, you can enjoy it outside whenever you want – without the risk of bug bites. And that’s something worth celebrating. Contact us today to learn more!

Mosquito Killer: Johnson Pest Control

It’s that time of year again in Knoxville, TN. The weather is warm, the rain is plentiful, and the mosquitoes are as pesky and bothersome as ever. If you and your family plan to enjoy the great outdoors, you need more than just basic pest control: You need a mosquito killer.

It sounds harsh, but facts are facts. Not only are mosquitoes itchy and irritating, but they are also carriers of dangerous diseases like West Nile virus. Because of this, they need to be prevented around your home to keep your family comfortable and safe during the warmer months.

Here at Johnson Pest Control in Knoxville, TN, we specialize in the mosquito treatment you need. Our service technicians are passionate about keeping your family healthy and happy by using a specific set of practices to keep mosquitoes away from your home. Here’s what to expect:

Inspection

The technicians at Johnson Pest Control will likely begin by inspecting the outside of your home. They look for areas that would be particularly attractive to mosquitoes: primarily any type of water on your property. After the inspection, they will likely make recommendations for these problem areas to be cleaned up or removed.

Treating Breeding Sites

Mosquitoes love to breed in standing water. Birdbaths and clogged gutters can be hot spots for mosquito families, especially larvae. When Johnson Pest Control comes to your Knoxville, TN home, you can rest assured that these wet breeding sites will be treated with mosquito killer made to control larvae for an extended time. The last thing you want is a new generation of mosquitoes on your property ready to feast on your family, and we won’t let that happen.

Treating Daytime Hangouts

During the sunny days of summer in Knoxville, TN, mosquitoes gather in the shady spots of your yard. Bushes, trees, and parts of your house that are shielded from the sun can become popular daytime hangouts for the mature, biting mosquitoes that pester you and your family. The technicians at Johnson Pest Control know this, and will treat those areas with mosquito killer to keep the peskiest pests of summer from sticking around your yard.

Repeat

The mosquito management programs at Johnson Pest Control include a monthly return to your Knoxville home. Each month, the mosquito control technicians will treat and inspect your space again to keep mosquitoes and their breeding areas off of your property.

Johnson Pest Control specializes in mosquito control, as well as many other pest control services for your home. Contact us to see how we can help you today!

Prevent Mosquitoes This Spring

Prevent Mosquitoes This SpringOur neighbors over in Greenville, TN are getting out to prevent mosquito growth this spring. It is that time of year where mosquitoes will start to show up at parties, the backyard, the soccer fields, etc.

They have a solid list of suggestions that you can do to help keep prevent mosquitoes from making a meal out of you.

To further reduce the mosquito population and to prevent illness, citizens are reminded of the following precautions:

  • apply insect repellent containing DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) while outdoors,
  • consider staying indoors at dawn, dusk and in the early morning hours, which are peak mosquito biting times,
  • wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants, if possible, while outdoors, and place mosquito netting over infant carriers.

To eliminate mosquito breeding areas, citizens should:

  • get rid of old tires, tin cans, buckets, drums, bottles and any other containers that hold water,
  • fill in or drain any low places, like puddles or ruts, in lawns,
  • keep drains, ditches and culverts clean of weeds and trash so water will drain properly,
  • cover trash containers to keep out rainwater,
  • repair leaky pipes and outdoor faucets,
  • empty plastic wading pools at least once each week, and store them indoors when not in use,
  • fill in tree rot holes and hollow stumps that hold water with sand or concrete,
  • change the water in birdbaths, plant pots or drip trays at least once a week,
  • and keep grass cut short and shrubbery well-trimmed around the house so adult mosquitoes will not hide there.