Living in Charleston and being surrounded by abundant source water and plenty of seasonal rain, you may find yourself inundated with mosquitoes. These tiny terrorists are not only annoying but also carry the risk of disease and parasitic conditions. If you find yourself battling a battalion of mosquitoes try searching for “mosquito control Charleston SC” in your internet search engine for some ideas on controlling these annoying pests.
Below are some handy tips on controlling, if not eliminating mosquito breeding grounds in and around your property, allowing you to enjoy Charleston outdoors.
Preventative Measures
When dealing with population control of mosquitoes, preventative measures are a very effective way to combat the problem. Mosquitoes require water to breed, often laying their eggs on the surface, or the surrounding areas near water. Contrary to popular belief, there are mosquitoes who even breed in salt water on the Atlantic coast.
Overgrown vegetation and tall grasses in humid conditions provide mosquitoes a great hideout with a moist habitat to thrive. Trim down all overgrown areas allowing the sun to penetrate and help keep the ground dry. Mosquito eggs can survive drought conditions, and spring back to life, hatching when water becomes available.
Eliminate Standing Water
Standing water in flower pots and buckets around your property is an open invitation to mosquitoes. Still, water makes the perfect environment for mosquitoes to lay their eggs, which will subsequently hatch quickly. These hatchlings will mature into “wrigglers” that can be seen swimming, or wriggling, around in the water. In a short period of time, these will mature into mosquitoes that will then begin the breeding process all over again.
Make sure that where there is standing water such as bird baths or watering stations for animals to change out the water frequently to avoid breeding grounds. For larger areas such as water gardens and decorative ponds, consider an animal-safe chemical treatment to eliminate the risk of breeding mosquitoes. Look for “mosquito control Charleston SC” online for more information.
Mosquito Repellents
There is a lot of information, some being old wives’ tales, out there about keeping mosquitoes at bay, and most of them are false. There are however a variety of great ways to make yourself and your yard inhospitable to mosquitoes. There are plants such as citronella that mosquitoes detest along with a few others such as neem, marigolds, and basal.
Alternatively, consider a reputable pest control company that offers services to provide some relief from flying pests on your property in the form of sprays. Be sure to ask about protection for the beneficial insects as well as children and pets in the area. See “mosquito control Charleston SC” for more information on the subject online.
Enjoy Nature
Get back to enjoying the great outdoors without feeling that you are being eaten alive by pests. By following some of the tips above for the prevention of mosquitoes you will be able to spend time in nature largely unbothered. Even with the challenges of wet and temperate weather, you can greatly reduce the chance of being bitten by potentially disease-harboring insects including mosquitoes with just a few precautions.
