There’s so much to love about summer.....like getting outside to enjoy the longer days with a barbecue or enjoying an evening outside around the firepit with the family…...that is until those pesky mosquitoes drive you back inside.

As carriers of illnesses like West Nile and Zika Virus, one bite from a mosquito can have severe consequences. While Mosquito repellent is a short-term solution to preventing long-term health issues that these insects can spread, they aren't a long-term solutions for your yard. Repellent can only do so much. That's why you need to create a mosquito free yard.

To create a mosquito free yard, you need to think like a mosquito!

1.  Where do they like to hang out?

2.  What appears to be attracting them to your yard?

3.  How would they know where to go to get what they need?

Once you understand what is attracting these insects to your yard, there are a few simple actions you can take to greatly reduce (maybe even eliminate) their pesky presence.

Prevent Standing Water

Standing water is the number one breeding ground for mosquitoes. They love all those holes in your yard, pilled up tires, kiddie pools, clogged gutters and poor drainage. It's what they live for!

By taking the time to clean up your yard of these things and clear your gutters so that they are properly draining, you are taking a first step to mosquito reduction.

Trim Your Grass

Tall grass means a cool, shady place for mosquitos to hang out. This goes for shrubs, trees, and weeds too. By manicuring every aspect of your yard and exposing it to more sunlight, the less likely you are to have wet or damp spots that foster mosquito breeding, disease or even mildew.

Put Your Landscaping to Work

Some plants are known to repel mosquitoes, and one of most well-known is Citronella. Citronella is a clumping grass that emits a strong aroma that covers up other scents (which helps keep the bugs away). However, there are also flowering mosquito-repellent plants like marigolds, pennyroyal and geraniums that can do the trick too. So if you've been looking to update your landscaping, now's the time to consider adding mosquito repellent plants to your list of must haves for your new beds.

Fun Fact: Common herbs such as basil, lavender, peppermint, lemon balm, rosemary and garlic can also help repel mosquitoes.

Spray Your Yard

When all else fails - spray your yard! Sometimes it doesn't matter what you do, there just seems to be a mosquito issue. This is especially true if you live near a body of water or a pond. These large mosquito breeding grounds are going to make getting rid of them even harder. It's why spraying your yard is often the only way to eliminate the issue.

Linnemann Lawn Care and Landscaping, Inc. has two mosquito spraying service options for this reason - Key Areas and Entire Property. Our Key Areas Package covers 20-30ft out and around the house, so underneath the deck(s), playground area, around the gutters, etc. and our Entire Property Package covers the key areas around the house, as well as the whole yard.

When our customers choose either of these services, initial spraying begins each year in May and then retreatment of the property happens every six weeks until the end of October. This averages to about five applications a year. Giving them mosquito free coverage for the five most important months of the year - summer!

Disclaimer: When applied by a trained professional, mosquito repellent is effective at eliminating the majority of pests and is completely safe for your family.

Once you've reduced the mosquito population in own your lawn, remember to protect yourself when in any other outdoor space. You can do this by keeping a mosquito repellent handy and/or wearing shirts with long sleeves. AND .... if at any time you are experiencing a reaction to a mosquito bite, consult a doctor immediately.

Final Reminder: Before summer springs into full swing next year, let us help you to be prepared for lawn mosquito control!