How To Keep Mosquitoes Out Of Your Home

Surprisingly, blood is not the primary food for mosquitoes. Sipping on nectar and plant juices are how they get the energy they need to fly around. In fact, the male mosquito never even has a drink of blood it its whole life. It is the female mosquito that needs the protein from blood to be able to produce eggs.

However, these bothersome insects can cause a lot itching, and some people have allergic reactions that can cause a lot of soreness and inflammation. It is not something you want to put up with in your home, and considering that they can carry dangerous diseases, it is best to take steps to keep them out.

So just how do you keep mosquitoes out of your home?

Eliminate Mosquito Friendly Areas

To control mosquitoes inside your home, it’s best to start with a few important steps to protect the outside of your home. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in stagnant water, so periodically check to make sure there are no such places in the immediate vicinity of your home.

These could be:

• Piles of wet leaves

• Tree holes

• Bird baths

• Flower pots

• Old tires

• Toys and kiddy pools

• Drainage pipes

• Gutters

• Sagging tarps and other protective covers

Especially after it rains, it is important to take a look around your yard and empty anything that has filled with water. Also, make sure the ground is draining well and no puddles are remaining.

For stagnant water to be safe, it helps to have a healthy fish population. Fish will eat the larvae of mosquitoes and prevent the population form increasing.

Seal and Screen Your Home

1. If you want to be able to leave windows and doors open for fresh air, make sure they are all properly screened. Although a mosquito will not push itself through a tight hole, an opening about the size of a penny is enough to welcome it. Ensure that your screens and window shutters fit snugly and that they are not torn.

2. Check to make certain there are no other openings such as ventilators that will allow them to come through. Where plumbing and electrical wires enter your home is another place to check for any unwanted gaps. All of these holes can be sealed off permanently as you will not need to open them on a regular basis.

3. Don’t forget to check your attic and basement for any openings. They will not live in those places, but they will come through them and find you.

4. The worst time for mosquitoes is an hour before sunset and again in the early morning. If you are extra careful during these times, and try to not open doors too frequently, it will immensely reduce the chances of them getting in to your home.

Benefits of Fans and Yellow Lighting

1. If you have fans, use them. Mosquitoes are not strong flyers, and a gust of wind will blow them away and stop them from approaching you. Setting up an oscillating fan is another way to enjoy a patio or porch, or even help you avoid bites if mosquitoes do manage to get inside your home.

A mosquito is attracted to you because of the heat you produce and the carbon dioxide you exhale. A fan will keep you cool, prevent you from sweating, and it will blow away the carbon dioxide you exhale. This makes you very unappetizing.

2. Mosquitoes come out when it is dark and they are attracted to light, mostly white light. Changing the white light in your home to a yellow, warm glow is another simple way to make your home uninviting to a mosquito. Turn lights off when they are not needed, and as much as possible, keep outside lights off, especially, in the evening and early morning.

In order to prevent mosquitoes from entering your home, remember to start outside first. Depending on where you live, this may not always be possible. However, working with your neighbors and your local government to reduce their breeding grounds, will not only reduce the number of mosquitoes that can enter your home, but it will also make it possible for you to enjoy your back yard.