Summer is here! The warm summer breeze is sure to bring a relief to you and your kids. Playing out in the sun is more fun than ever, but alas, mosquitos reign supreme in summers! Moreover, it seems like your backyard is the new breeding ground.

You’re not alone in your endeavor to find the perfect yard mosquito control technique. Mosquito proofing your yard is a long and ongoing process. It can naturally be frustrating and time consuming.

However, the process of backyard mosquito control cannot be overlooked. With the looming threat of the Zika virus and a host of other illnesses they carry, mosquitoes can be far more than a minor inconvenience.

Identify the enemy
Mosquitoes multiply fast. Mosquito larvae need water to multiply. Furthermore, it is the females that feed on humans. In your immediate surrounds, identify any water bodies that could possibly harbor mosquito larvae. The mothers aren’t going to go too far from the site, and the larvae upon maturing will turn to the closest host.

Your first step in yard mosquito control is to identify and eradicate all and any still bodies of water.

• Items that can potentially hold rainwater, such as old tires, cans, and buckets you leave out, or any open piping.
• If you have an air conditioner, check the dripping vent and make sure the water isn’t pooling anywhere. Also, make sure as the water flows out of your house, there is no stagnant pool where it collects.
• Get leaking taps, faucets, and pipes fixed as they may pool water under the floor where mosquitoes can breed.
• Any boats, kayaks, or hollow tree trunks must be taken care of.
• Cut short any grass or shrub to reduce hiding places for mosquitoes.

Treat your yard
Invest around $30 on a gallon big jug of insect repellent especially made to be sprayed in your lawn, and be generous with it. Spray this all over the perimeter of the lawn, and you can be sure that insects won’t be crossing that barrier anytime soon. It has a lasting power of about two to three weeks and is made with oils. This means it’s effective on the insects without causing any harm to your kids or pets. Note whether this repellent is safe to be used around pets. If not, exercise caution during the period that the repellent is active on the lawn area.

These are some tips you can employ in your backyard mosquito control program and drastically reduce your mosquito problem.