Because their bites are itchy, mosquitoes are a nuisance in any environment, but they're especially troublesome when they invade your backyard. These bloodthirsty insects are not only a nuisance, but also a potential health hazard, as some species transmit human pathogens such as West Nile virus, malaria, and Zika virus.
If you want to enjoy your garden without getting sprayed with bug spray, invest in a commercially available mosquito trap or try one of our homemade arsenals for outdoor mosquito control. All of these weapons can be made from materials commonly found at home.
How to get rid of mosquitoes naturally
When it comes to mosquitoes, the best defense is a good attack, which is why you want to invite mosquito predators into your home. Swallows, robins, mockingbirds, geese, ducks, and songbirds all enjoy eating pests.
Dragonflies can also prey on hundreds of mosquitoes a day, and can use plants such as irises and buttercups to attract mosquitoes. But are mosquitoes our biggest natural enemy? Bat. Bats come out at dusk to devour their favorite food, so you might not want them huddled up against your shutters, but create a DIY bat house for bats to nest in when they're not out hunting. can do.
Bats are also attracted to night-blooming plants such as datura, yucca, evening primrose, and cleome. Many species of fish and turtles also munch on mosquitoes, but keeping them in your garden means installing a water source. It's a good idea as long as the water is flowing, but stagnant water is a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
“The best way to control mosquitoes in your home is to remove their breeding sites,” says Dr. Michael Riehle, professor in the Department of Entomology at the University of Arizona. Specifically, he says it's important to deal with “water that has stagnated for more than a week.”
3 of our favorite DIY mosquito traps
Despite your best efforts to keep your property well-maintained and free of standing water, your barbecue or pool party may still have a concentration of harmful pests. To pack and send, make these tricky mosquito traps and place them outside.
1. snare mosquito trap
supplies
a cup of hot water
brown sugar
yeast
Empty 2 liter plastic bottle or bucket
Mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide and recognize it as humans and other mammals breathing. They zoom in on this simple trap, believing they will soon be drained of blood, but instead they end up meeting doom.
“CO2 attracts them, but you have to be careful that you're not just making mosquito repellents to attract mosquitoes from your neighbors; you're actually trapping them,” Dr. Riehle said. Warning.
To make this home remedy for mosquitoes, you will need 1 cup of boiling water, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, 1 gram of yeast, and an empty 2-liter plastic bottle to make this concoction.
- Cut the bottle in half down the middle.
- Heat water in a heat-resistant container, add sugar and dissolve the granules.
- Once the solution has cooled, pour the mixture into the bottom half of the bottle and add the yeast to start the carbon dioxide reaction.
- Remove the cap, turn the top of the bottle upside down, and push it into the bottom half of the bottle to create a funnel. Next, tape the two bottle parts together.
- To increase the effectiveness of your homemade mosquito trap, wrap a black sock, cloth or paper around the outside of the assembly.
Place the yeast mosquito trap in a shady, above-ground area of your garden, away from areas where people gather. Mosquitoes are attracted to her CO2, enter through the funnel, and drown in the water. Empty the bottle and add more mix every two weeks or as needed.
2. Ovitrap Mosquito Trap
supplies
2 plastic cups or a clean recycled plastic container
Black paint (if using a light colored cup)
thin line
Window glass (can be recycled or scrapped)
duct tape
scissors
old black socks
Ovitraps are dark, water-filled containers that mimic the mosquitoes' preferred breeding habitat, and the only real morgues are these nurseries. When the female lays her eggs on the edge of the container lined with her socks, the larvae fall through the screen door into the water.
Once fully grown, they are too large to crawl back through the mesh, so they become trapped under the screen, out of the way, and no longer able to reproduce.
However, Dr. Riehle warns: “You need to dump and replace the water at least weekly, otherwise you'll end up attracting mosquitoes rather than eliminating them.” BTi (the most common active ingredient found in mosquito dunks) When added, it also helps kill the larvae that emerge from the eggs,” she says.
To make this outdoor mosquito trap, you'll need a plastic cup or container (perhaps a pint of rinsed yogurt), thin gauge wire, mesh (perhaps from an old screen), duct tape, and an old cloth. long black socks.
- To make the trap, cut one cup in half and reserve the top half for the top of the trap.
- Place the top half inside the other cup and mark where you can reach it. Pinch the cup and cut a small triangle to create a drainage hole on each side below the mark so that excess water can drain out of the trap if it gets too full.
- Paint the outside of the large cup and the inside of the top of the trap black. Spray paint works well for this.
- Once the paint is dry, cut out the window screen and use tape to cover the small side of the top of the trap with the screen.
- Tape a window screen over the drain to seal it so water can come out but mosquitoes can't get through.
- Fill the bottom of the trap about 3/4 full with water.
- Attach the trap top, screen side down.
Place the mosquito repellent in a shady area near trees and shrubs, away from wind and sunlight.
3. Fan-favorite mosquito repellent
supplies
20 inch metal frame box fan
wire mesh
cable ties or adhesive
Hole puncher (optional)
There are many iterations of mosquito fan traps, but the simplest one consists of a 20-inch metal-framed box fan, metal mesh (the type used for window screens), and the screen secured to the fan frame. Use a strong enough magnet to
- Cut a hole or use a hole puncher to create an insert to thread the zip ties through.
- Attach the mesh screen securely to the back of the fan using zip ties (or adhesive). If you don't have metal mesh on hand, mosquito netting or tulle fabric will also work.
- Rotate the fan to blow air, with the side that sucks air facing forward.
Place a fan near the area where the mosquitoes live, plug it into an electrical outlet (use a portable generator if you're at a campsite), and turn it on. Mosquitoes, the theory goes, are attracted to sound and movement to investigate and get trapped in the mesh/net. Eventually they will dry out and die, but if you notice they are surviving, finish by lightly misting the mesh with a 50/50 mixture of 70 percent isopropyl alcohol and water. Be careful not to submerge the fan motor.
FAQ
If you want to learn more about how to prevent mosquitoes from making you miserable, check out the answers to these frequently asked questions.
Q: What is the best way to catch mosquitoes?
To catch mosquitoes, try one of the mosquito traps detailed above. Be sure to keep it out of direct sunlight and wind, and in a shady location away from gatherings of family and friends.
Q: Are vinegar mosquito repellents really effective?
The construction of such a mosquito trap is similar to the bottle snare described above, but vinegar is used instead of yeast. Perhaps because they do not contain carbon dioxide to attract mosquitoes, these mosquito repellents proved ineffective and disappointed those who tried them.
Q: What smells do mosquitoes dislike?
Some odors that can be easily eliminated, such as sweat and body odor, are attractive to mosquitoes. But you can thwart them by using a variety of essential oils that you find soothing. These oils include lavender, tea tree, lemon eucalyptus, cinnamon, neem, and soy. Citronella is very popular as a mosquito repellent oil and is sold in candle form for this purpose. Mosquitoes also hate garlic. They may not want to drink your blood if your diet includes a lot of it.
final thoughts
Your warm-weather fun doesn't have to be ruined by mosquitoes. Plan to use these traps and techniques before your next backyard vacation or lounging session. All of these are less noisy than bug zappers. Check weekly to make sure the container mosquito trap is still in place. Empty and replace material as necessary.