The Price of Mosquito Problems

Mosquitoes can be a big nuisance, making outdoor time unenjoyable. They swarm your yard and buzz around your body, trying to get to you. Sometimes you don’t even know you are being bit until it’s too late. The next day you wake up with itchy welts all over your body and feel miserable, not to mention, you may have the fear of contracting an illness. Namely, the West Nile virus.

You want to control, or get rid of mosquitoes around your home and yard so that you can enjoy being outdoors without the threat of being bit, or contracting an illness. But do you know what it costs to treat for mosquitoes?

The cost of treating and preventing mosquitoes in your yard:

Standing Water

Because mosquitoes are naturally drawn to water, one of the biggest things you can do is control the water and moisture around your home. If you have standing water collecting in the yard, be sure to get any drainage problems around your house fixed. This will help alleviate mosquitoes collecting and breeding in these areas. The cost of getting rid of standing water can be expensive. It depends on what is needed, but if a company has to come out and excavate your yard, you can pay several hundred to several thousand dollars.

Keep Your Yard Well Manicured

When you let your yard get out of control, you are asking for issues with not only mosquitoes, but other pests, too. Overgrown lawns and bushes are the perfect breeding grounds for insects and pests. You can pay a professional service to manicure your yard, or you can do it yourself. Pricing will vary, depending on the size of your lawn and what you have done. But expect $100+ a month.

Treat Your Yard

Regular professional mosquito control treatment is one of the most effective things you can do to combat mosquitoes. You can hire a company to treat your yard or treat it yourself. Treating your home regularly helps to keep mosquitoes from breeding and multiplying. It is especially important during warmer months when mosquitoes are out more. There are some companies that will charge a small fee of around $49.00 to treat your yard for mosquitoes on a monthly schedule. Self-treatment would be slightly less expensive, but it can be time-consuming.

Use Cluster Plants

Certain types of plants naturally repel mosquitoes. Plants known as cluster plants, such as scented geraniums, marigolds, garlic, lavender, basil and mint can help keep mosquitoes at bay. You can pay a small amount, under $100.00, for a few plants, to well over a hundred, depending on the type of plant you choose and how many you need.

Use a Fan

You can help keep mosquitoes away by using a circulating fan. The fan can be a ceiling fan or stand-up oscillating fan. Either one helps to keep the air moving and circulating to help keep mosquitoes away. Fans can be cheap, for around $20.00 for a standing oscillating fan, or several hundreds for ceiling fans on your porch. You can make it as cheap as you need to, by choosing more, inexpensive fans.

Skin Repellant

When you are outdoors, you should treat your skin with a mosquito repellant. There are multiple types to choose from, from lotions to sprays. Skin repellant will be the cheapest trick. Depending on the type and brand you get, it can be just a couple of dollars per can.

Mosquito Traps

Mosquito traps use a combination of sensory cues, such as light and other lures to attract the mosquito into the trap. Once inside the trap, it cannot leave. Mosquito traps can run from under 100.00 to several hundred or over $1000.00. One mosquito trap is just $10.99. It all depends on what you are looking for.

Tiki Torches

Filling tiki torches with Citronella, which is a nontoxic substance, helps to keep mosquitoes at bay. Tiki torches can run from about $10.00 each to close to $1000.00 per torch for a gas torch. You decide what style you want and you can probably find them for close to your price range.

Preventing mosquito bites is not always entirely possible, but you can significantly reduce mosquito bites by treating your yard and your skin with the right combination of mosquito repellants. The more proactive you are, the better your chances of keeping mosquitoes at bay.