Spring and summer are seasons meant for you to spend time with family and friends. Be it an out-of-town vacation or simply hanging out on your house deck or porch, enjoying the first half of the year outside after a long winter is truly rewarding.
However, mosquitoes during said seasons are becoming active as well. And if your family is the type that prefers to spend the summer at home only, hanging out on the porch or house deck could be troublesome because of mosquitoes. It would be embarrassing too if you have friends who you have invited over.
But such a situation is inevitable since snow is essentially water and may have left standing water somewhere near and around your house.
On a positive note, there’s a way to shoo and exterminate them away! In fact, it is quite easy to get rid of mosquitoes hiding under your deck.
3 Factors that Attract Mosquitoes to Hide Under Decks
Mosquitoes do not hide under your house deck just because they feel like it. Oftentimes, it is because your house (or yard) has something that they are attracted to. Or something that tells them that it is a great breeding ground to lay their eggs.
That said, here are a few factors why mosquitoes hide under decks.
- Stagnant water. The top reason why mosquitoes hide and reproduce under house decks is stagnant water. The mere presence of it under the deck or around your front or backyard is enough reason to attract mosquitoes.
It is because mosquitoes need water to lay their eggs. Hence, for these mosquitoes, such areas are great spots to hide and reproduce.
Do take note as well that the more stagnant water you have in or around the yard, the higher the chance for mosquitoes to reproduce and hide out in your deck.
- Sunlight could not reach your yard. Another factor that brings mosquitoes into your yard is the lack of sunlight. These insects naturally thrive in areas that are shady, cool, as well as moist. And they will likely reproduce often if the area where your deck is does not get enough sunlight to shoo them away.
That said, if that describes your front or backyard, then expect mosquitoes to take shelter in some parts of the house. And that includes the space under your deck or porch.
- Wet mulch and pine straws. For mosquitoes, water and moisture are the same. And believe it or not, they prefer such areas to use as their nests for their eggs too.
Soil that is constantly wet, for instance, is the typical breeding ground for mosquitoes. Yard decorations that are not waterproof or is likely to hold moisture—mulch and pine straws, for example—could also be the factor that brought mosquitoes into your porch.
That said, if not immediately fixed or properly treated, these areas could become breeding grounds.
6 Ways to Get Rid of Mosquitoes
As mentioned, there are several easy methods to shoo away and stop mosquitoes from reproducing in and around your house.
Here’s how:
- Remove stagnant water. Given that it is the number one reason that attracts mosquitoes to nest in and around your house, removing and presence of standing water must be the first thing you should do.
That said, check your yard for any containers, as well as toys and yard decorations that can hold water and moisture. You can either throw—you may donate it instead if the toys are still okay—them away or turn the containers upside down to avoid collecting rainwater.
Gutters that are not properly functioning or clogged can also hold rainwater and act as mosquito breeding grounds. So, check them as well and make sure to clean and fix them.
- Treat stagnant water. Aside from draining, treating standing water is also a great solution. It is particularly true if you have features or decorations in or around the house that naturally require water.
Take a fountain or a birdbath, as examples.
To avoid mosquitoes from using it to lay their eggs, simply treat it with mosquito bits or dunks. These water treatment products essentially release a bacterium that kills mosquito larvae. Make sure that the water in the fountain is always running as well as it helps keep mosquitoes at bay.
- Install a Fan. Installing a fan or two on your porch could also help shoo mosquitoes away. Mosquitoes hate fast-moving winds as it is too difficult for them to fly in a breeze that is over 2mph. In return, this will make it difficult for them to land or fly around your deck.
- Burn Citronella. For a quick fix, burning citronella candles or sticks can repel mosquitoes away as well. You can simply place a stick or two in the area where mosquitoes hover around, especially in parts where your family or friends are.
Another way to use it is by building in what they call a “citronella wall.” Theoretically, this method will help keep mosquitoes at bay by fencing your yard around using citronella candles or sticks. It is specifically used when there is a heavy presence of mosquitoes.
That said, simply place citronella candles or sticks—6 to 8 feet apart—around the perimeter of your deck.
- Install Screens. If you want a long-term solution that not only repels mosquitoes but also other pests, enclosing your yard with screens would be the best. It is a bit drastic, but it can certainly stop mosquitoes and bugs from entering your yard, as well as your house.
The only catch is that this method could be slightly expensive compared to other solutions.
- Hire a professional mosquito control. Lastly, if you are a busy type of person and can’t personally do the recommended solutions mentioned above, you can instead hire a professional mosquito control team from your local area.
Hiring a professional will not only shoo mosquitoes away, but they can also help them exterminate completely.
Conclusion
Spending summer with family and friends should be a fun time. As such, don’t let mosquitoes ruin and their irritating buzzing and bites ruin it! So, check your yard now and look out for any signs of mosquitoes nesting in your private space and treat it immediately!
