Northern Virginia has a mosquito problem. With summers that start early, humid weather, and plenty of trees and bushes for insects to hide in, the area attracts many species of mosquitoes that grow and thrive in the region. We have both local species and a rise in invasive species. When these mosquitoes start breeding in your backyard, your family is at increased risk for bug bites and mosquito-borne illnesses.

While mosquitoes may be prevalent in Gainesville and the nearby towns, there are steps you can take to help keep them out of your yard. Use these few steps around your home as we head into the summer months to limit the number of mosquitoes breeding – and biting – in your backyard.

How to Prevent Mosquitoes in Your Yard

Preventing mosquitoes requires understanding their habitat and behavior. Most of the mosquitoes that cause problems in residential areas breed in standing water that collects after a rainstorm or from sprinklers. The eggs hatch and the mosquito larvae spend approximately a week in the water as they mature into adults.

Adult female mosquitoes continue the breeding cycle, often laying eggs near the location they were born in. This creates an expanding population of mosquitoes on your property.

To break this cycle, you want to make your yard less hospitable to breeding mosquitoes by:

• Removing Containers – Bring inside or throw out any objects in your yard that can hold water. This includes buckets, pet food bowls, and trash. If it cannot be removed, be sure to empty the container after it rains. Features like birdbaths or planters can be refreshed weekly to remove mosquito eggs, for example. 
• Treating Water Sources – If you have a pool or pond on your property, try incorporating a fountain to agitate the water surface. When that is not an option, you can add larvicides to the water to keep mosquitoes from growing there.
• Trimming Bushes and Grass – As adults, mosquitoes spend their days in the shade of plants to avoid harsh sunlight. Keeping the grass and bushes around your property cut back limits resting places and forces adult mosquitoes to move elsewhere.
• Cleaning Up Debris – Yard waste, trash, and other unnecessary items around your home can harbor water and provide a shady space. Regular cleaning helps remove any unnoticed areas that might be attracting mosquitoes.

Professional mosquito control can also limit mosquitoes and keep them away from your yard. It can help support other mosquito prevention tactics or effectively prevent mosquitoes on its own, especially if removing standing water has been insufficient for controlling mosquitoes in the past.

With mosquito abatement, we apply mosquito treatments in the areas mosquitoes might live or lay eggs. This removes the mosquitoes and creates a barrier around your property so mosquitoes cannot return while the treatment lasts.

ExtermPRO offers mosquito control for homes in Gainesville, Bristow, Haymarket, and the other surrounding towns. If you are looking for a guaranteed way to keep mosquitoes out of your backyard this summer, call us today to find out more about mosquito abatement.