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When a female mosquito goes looking for a blood meal, one of the ways she finds someone to feed on is by using her olfactory neurons—that is to say, she uses her sense of smell. A smell she finds favorable is the scent of carbon dioxide. She is drawn to CO2 emissions because she draws the blood of animals that exhale this gas. But there are some smells female mosquitoes don't like. Today, we're going to talk about this form of mosquito deterrence and discuss some of the pitfalls every Hendersonville property owner should understand.
Things That Smell Bad To A Mosquito
There are many smells that mosquitoes don't like. In fact, these smells are pungent to many insects. You might even know some natural scents that are used to deter insects, such as lavender, citronella, peppermint, and catnip. When it comes to deterring mosquitoes, lemon eucalyptus trees seem to have the right scent. An extract taken from lemon eucalyptus trees is synthesized into a spray that works well to keep mosquitoes away. These extracts are great when made into essential oils and applied to your skin, but they don't work all that well to keep mosquitoes out of your yard.
Plants
You may have heard that planting mosquito-repellent plants can keep mosquitoes away. Unfortunately, this doesn't quite work the way some folks present it. Most of the plants that deter mosquitoes must be activated. This is done by rubbing the plant and moving it around. If you have a lemon balm plant in a pot on your deck, you can rub it to create a scent that is repellent to mosquitoes and apply the oils to your skin to ward off mosquito bites, but lemon balm isn't going to do much to keep mosquitoes out of your yard if you plant it in your landscaping.
Understanding Female Mosquitoes
Another important piece to the puzzle is the will and determination of a female mosquito. If you're not aware, only female mosquitoes bite. Blood is needed for reproduction. If you've ever had a mosquito bite you, even though you were covered with bug spray, you have an idea of just how determined some female mosquitoes can be. Reproduction is important for the survival of the species. This need for blood is also why bug zappers don't work well to get control of mosquitoes. While a zapper can attract male and female mosquitoes into your yard, it is only effective at killing male mosquitoes. The females don't have time for pretty lights. They have a species to protect. So it isn't difficult to understand why mosquito-repellent smells aren't all that effective at keeping biting mosquitoes away.
How Do You Keep Female Mosquitoes Away?
The secret isn't to keep them away but to stop the cycle of reproduction. When female mosquitoes come into your yard, they look for stagnant water resources in which to lay their eggs. They can lay a hundred at a time. Within a little over a week, you can have a swarm in your yard. If you remove stagnant water, you can prevent reproduction. You can do this by cleaning your gutters, fixing leaks, addressing areas where puddles develop, removing containers from your yard, and other things.
The best way to stop mosquito reproduction is to invest in seasonal mosquito treatments for your property. When female mosquitoes come into your yard, they rest in your vegetation and in other sheltered locations around the structures on your property. If these areas are treated with a gentle EPA-approved mist that is only strong enough to eliminate simple organisms, those females aren't going to lay eggs in your yard.
If you have questions about mosquito control in Hendersonville, or you'd like to start mosquito control service for your home or business, connect with us. We'd love to guide you toward the right solution for your Hendersonville property.