With the proliferation of mosquitoes of a variety of types, carrying a wide variety of diseases, and the proliferation  of natural mosquito control products, it seems to be the right time to remind people of the most natural mosquito control method, mosquito prevention. With the increase in blood borne pathogens which mosquitoes are known to carry, comes an increased risk to the safety of the public. Sadly, the emphasis seems to be placed on the wrong side of the issue, focusing on treating the symptoms, rather than solving the problem.

Malaria is the worlds number one health crisis, Dengue fever threatens two fifths of the worlds population, is epidemic in Mexico, and is present in the lower South Eastern states in the U.S. While mosquito prevention, and thereby disease prevention may be impractical, or impossible in many of the worlds tropical and coastal areas, it is possible in most parts of the U.S.

We all know that mosquitoes carry West Nile Virus, Malaria, and a variety of other diseases which can be passed on to humans and animals, besides that, they hurt when they bite, and they are a general nuisance. This page will provide some advice on natural mosquito control to help you keep yourself and your family safe. The prevalence of disease makes every step to prevent mosquito problems an important step in public health and safety.

What is natural mosquito control?

The most natural mosquito control is the same as the most natural control for any problem, that is, prevention! This is done by changing the habitat from a place that they can use for living and reproducing, to one that makes living and reproducing difficult for them by denying them what they need. Any mosquito control system should start with mosquito prevention. It should be the first line of defense, and without it, all other methods are doomed to failure. All other mosquito control methods are secondary. Sprays, nets, foggers, and even exclusion will fall short. All the flavor of the day, newfangled contraptions in the world will not solve your pest control problems! Sprays, electronic devices, potions and spells can’t help if prevention is not given it’s proper place at the beginning of the program.

Mosquito control using prevention

Mosquitoes, like any other type of pest, like certain habitats. In the case of the mosquito, they need:

• Water for larvae to hatch and grow.

• Cover to hide in.

• Blood for the female to reproduce.

If you eliminate any of these, mosquitoes will not be able to reproduce in your area.

How to do it

Water:

If you have puddles of standing water, buckets, tubs, or any other receptacle for water on your property, mosquitoes can find it, and use it against you. If receptacles are the problems, dump them, and make sure that they can no longer hold water. If the problem is standing water in low spots or puddles, provide a way to drain the water either through surface drainage, that is, fill the low spots and holes, or sub surface drainage, such as a french drain, or a pipe drain with a catch box. If you use the catch box and pipe drain, make sure that the grade on the system is consistent, so that water doesn’t accumulate in the pipe. This could cause mosquitoes to use it as a basin, and become a home for other pests.

Don’t just look at the ground, there are other areas which might hold enough water to encourage mosquito populations such as home gutter systems, which should of course, be cleaned and maintained frequently.

If the water problem is a pond or lake on your property, the problem is not only water, but also cover. This is a problem I see on a regular basis. It has less to do with water, than with cover.

Cover:

If mosquitoes are exposed to natural predators, the predators work very well as a green mosquito control method. If the predators can’t get to them, they can’t eat them. If you have brush and weeds around your home, it gives mosquitoes a place to hide from the things that like to eat them. It also gives them a place to find small animals for the blood needed for reproduction. If you eliminate hiding places like brush, weeds and high grass, you will drastically lower the population by exposing them to predation by their natural enemies.

If ponds or lakes exist on your property, you obviously do not want to drain them to get rid of mosquitoes, but you can reduce the amount of cover available. High weeds, and shallow water around the shallow edges of a pond should be removed. If filamentous algae, or pond scum as it is commonly called cover a large part of the body of water, the mosquitoes have a perfect habitat. They have water easily available for producing young, they have blood available from the animals that come to the water to drink, and they have cover in the water for protection from the fish who would otherwise dine on them! Skimming off the algae, or otherwise eliminating it will remove the cover, and and allow the fish to do their job.

Blood:

The female needs a blood meal to produce offspring. That may often come from you! Sometimes it comes from small animals. Reducing the availability of water and cover, reduces the numbers of small animals present to feed the hungry female.

Off site mosquito problems

If you paid attention to the mosquito prevention information above, and followed the suggestions, most of your problem with mosquitoes is gone. There are however, other circumstances that can allow mosquitoes to be a problem for you and your family, and some of them may not be within your means to control. This could include such problems as swampy areas on adjacent properties, or ponds and lakes that exist nearby, and are not properly maintained.  Even if this is your situation, you should still do the work mentioned above, which will still eliminate most of the problem, and then concentrate on the things you can do about your off site problem.

Neighbors and Officials

Talk with the people who own the adjacent property about the problem. Do this before contacting public health officials. See if there is something that can be done by the owner before involving officialdom. If not, that is your next step. Encourage them to practice long term control rather than short term controls like pesticides. It will cost them less in the long run. If they are reluctant or obstinate, explain the health and public safety issues involved.

Prevention is the most natural of natural mosquito control methods because it denies them what they need to thrive and reproduce, and exposes them to natural predators like birds, bats, and fish. These natural predators are the next step in our mosquito control system, biological control.

Biological mosquito control

Biological mosquito control is the next best step in green mosquito control, after we have used the best prevention methods. You have modified the habitat to work against the mosquitoes, now, you should modify the habitat to work in favor of their predators. This can be done by providing shelter and other encouragements for such predators as birds and bats. This can mean providing food sources like natural, native plants that birds enjoy, and a source of clean water like a fountain, or a well maintained, non stagnant bird bath. Bats require the same things. Bird and bat houses differ, but are fairly easily attained.

Botanical, or organic mosquito control

Unfortunately, this is what most people think of when they think of natural mosquito control. Botanical, or organic products are a great addition to our green mosquito control arsenal, but they are not the main line of defense. Prevention is the first step, biological controls or predation is the second, and only after these methods are effectively used can you hope for success with botanical or organic mosquito control. The use of such things as citronella, or some of the commercial products designed for insect control has a place in the system. These products can be used in a couple of ways. They can be sprayed in areas where mosquitoes might have cover, and may have some preventative effects when used in outdoor living spaces, and they can be used in misting systems. Such misting systems are falling under more careful scrutiny these days, but when used in conjunction with botanical products other than pyrethrins, should pose little problem to your health, or the health of your soil. Still, with any system, there are costs, and possibly collateral damage.

Other natural mosquito control methods:

If you have followed the stages outlined above, you should not have any unmanageable mosquito problems at this point, however, if you have not followed them completely, or other extenuating circumstances exist, these tips will help.

• If you have problems with mosquitoes inside your home, you should read the section of this site which deals with exclusion, and make sure all entryways for insects are sealed or screened.

• If you have trouble in outdoor living spaces, mosquito netting for exclusion fans to improve airflow, and citronella torches will provide a degree of relief.

• If you have standing water that cannot be drained immediately, some light mineral oil can be sprayed evenly over the standing water from a spray bottle to help break the reproductive cycle.

There are other natural mosquito control practices that can help you on this website. Most of the information that applies to other insects applies to mosquitoes as well, so have a look around.

If you have a problem with mosquitoes inside the home, this tutorial on how to prevent bugs at home might be helpful.

Going batty can be a great way to help control unwanted insect pests. Bats eat mosquitoes as about 10 percent of their overall diet, and a lot of other annoying insects as well, including the moths that are the adults of the infamous “bole weevil” and “corn ear worm”. Bats consume from about 60 to 90 percent of their body mass per night.

Some argue that bats are not effective as mosquito control, since they only consume about 10 percent as a part of their diet, and that bats and birds can only consume a small part of the millions of insects. The argument also states that insect populations increase at a rate so high that no purely physical means of dealing with them is effective.

To counter this argument, let me say this:

• If the mosquito populations are that high in an area, there are other factors that need to be dealt with, such as draining the swamp you are living in!
• That each mosquito removed from the population at large, is one less mosquito to bite you, one less potential disease hazard, and one less left to breed and carry on the species!
• That the numbers of bats should be commensurate with the mosquito population if this is used as a means of controlling them.
• That the use of biological controls such as birds and bats should be a single part of a much wider Integrated Pest Management system. No one I know who uses these control methods thinks that the use of bats is all that one need do to control mosquitoes.

As a part of our services we now offer custom bat houses, built and installed to your specific needs.

Biological pest control is a double edged sword. Biological controls can be an environmental disaster, or they can be a safe and effective alternative to other methods that might present other problems. The pivot point on this issue is the point of origin of the biological agent.

This is easy to illustrate in the case of exotic vegetation. When invasive exotic vegetation invades an area, it’s natural predators normally don’t come along for the ride. The plant was not invasive in it’s natural habitat, probably as a result of those predators, and it’s natural habitat. Once the plant migrates to a fertile region, with long growing seasons, and other advantages, it will thrive in that area. One method for dealing with this problem is by introducing it’s natural predators. The problem with this method is that we now have 2 non native biological life forms in the region. It is not likely, but is possible, that the biological pest control, can itself, become a pest problem.

The safe method is to encourage native predators to take care of the problem. In the case of problematic insects, birds and bats can be encouraged by providing shelter and meeting their other needs. This is the best method of biological pest control.

Non toxic pest control cannot be accomplished with pesticides, whether those toxins are chemical or natural. All pesticides are toxic, they cannot be made non toxic. Any product with the greek word “cide” attached to the end is dangerous! It may not present extreme danger, but it does imply at least that something is intended to die as a result of it’s use. They are not non toxic pest control!

This is true of both commercial chemicals, and the so called “non toxic”, botanical pesticides. They are all intended to kill something, and in the wrong situation, at the wrong time, they can all be dangerous to human beings. Nerve damage that results from pyretherins such as ground chrysanthemums, is just as permanent as nerve damage done by synthetic pyretheroids. Non toxic pest control should be, well, non toxic.

There is a way to accomplish non toxic pest control, without the use of any toxins of any type, and really, without any sprays, powders, granules, mists, or compounds of any type. This Type of pest control is accomplished through understanding the nature of pests, and dealing with them accordingly by altering the environment.

These environmental alterations include such things as mechanical controls like removal, (mowing weeds before they reach seeding stage) and exclusion, (sealing doors, windows, plumbing). It may involve the introduction of native species to control pest problems, which would be considered a biological control, and changing the makeup of the plant life in an area to bring it in line with a more native habitat for the same reason.

This non toxic form of pest control should be the basis for any sound integrated pest management program, and is the best place to start in any home program. The pest control program is simply, pest prevention. This site is dedicated to pest prevention and it’s use as the primary method of non toxic pest control.

We are not opposed to the use of pest control products. The judicious use of these products may be needed, but, with good pest prevention practices, are needed far less, and far less often.

Natural pest control, at least as it is portrayed on the internet, is a potpourri of often competing ideas. The ideas range from some fairly sound practices, to some downright bizarre suggestions involving almost voodoo like practices. Those are the extremes, and most of the advice in the middle, is collections of suggestions with such things as using mouthwash as a mosquito repellent, dish soap and water to prevent mosquito breeding, and other similar ideas. Some of them do work, but sorting through them can be a tedious, if somewhat humorous experience. Some of them do not even qualify as natural pest control. Some do not qualify as pest control at all!

If you want to achieve a pest free home environment using natural pest control, there are some simple steps that you can take that will help. These are things that should be done anyway, so you will be doing yourself a favor by preempting the “honey do” list. Before you hire a Shaman, or drag out the Listerine, buy a ton of products claiming to be organic and natural, or throw up your hands in frustration and call the exterminator, give these simple, natural pest control practices a try, and you will be well on your way toward freedom from pests!

Pest prevention, the most natural pest control

We can never live a completely pest free existence, but we can make it a lot more comfortable by following a few simple rules.

• For pest free property: Start your prevention at the rough edges, the outer areas of your property. Brush and debris control, will provide a clear zone starting with the parameter of your property to move the pests further away from you. Then follow the directions bellow:

• For a pest free landscape: Good landscape practices will go a long way toward reaching your natural pest control goals. Use pest resistant plants, these are usually native plants. Mulch carefully with weed seed free products, don’t over water. When pruning trees, do it right so that pest, fungus and disease don’t have an entry inside the tree.

• For a pest free lawn: Use proper lawn care techniques such as correct mowing practices. Mow more often, use sharp blades. Use other good lawn care cultural practices such as watering less, only fertilize enough to keep the lawn healthy, don’t fertilize too late in the year, don’t aerify to late in the year. Clean mower between “roughs” and lawn.

• For a pest free garden: Use bug resistant varieties, make sure that the amendments you use are free of weed seeds. You have now taken steps to keep pests off your property, out of your landscape, lawn, and garden, and that should reduce the numbers available to assault your home.

• For a pest free home: Follow all the above steps, and then seal all pest entries into your home.

These steps are just the basics, a short outline of natural pest control using pest prevention as the starting point. Get creative in your thinking of how to carry them out. Use the program outlined on this site to find more natural pest control ideas, by starting with How To Use This Site.

If you start your program with pest prevention, you will have fewer pests to deal with when using other forms of natural pest control such as botanical pesticides. It will save you money, and be better for the environment.

We like to say that pest prevention is the greenest form of pest control. It is also the most natural pest control method. There are pages of detailed instructions and ideas on this site.

If you want to practice green pest control, that is if you want it to be really green, as in the deepest darkest green pest control that you can imagine, and if you want to avoid the cost of those organic and botanical pest control products, and the carbon footprint left by all that shipping, manufacturing, packaging, reshipping and warehousing, then have we got some information for you!

It is the very green, greenest form of green pest control on the planet, it requires no exotic electronics, or harmful chemical agents, voodoo spells, or other mystical practices. It is the Holy Grail of pest control, the missing integration piece of the Integrated Pest Management puzzle, the oft overlooked management principle in pest management, the controlling factor in pest control.

This won’t cost you a dime, (well, it may cost a buck or two, but not as much as you would spend on chemicals or botanicals) it won’t foul up the environment, won’t leave any strange foul odors or stains, and you won’t have to mix anything with anything! Best of all, you can do it yourself, and it is something you need to do anyway! It is mind bogglingly simple.

By now, you are wondering: What is this super powered pest control thing that this guy is talking about, and how do I get it for myself? Well, it is, Pest prevention! Pest prevention you ask? Yes. By following a few simple steps, doing a few simple things, you can have a home that is as pest free as humanly possible, without the aid of pest control products, and it is not only green, it is the greenest form of pest control, and all of the things that you do to put it into practice are things that you need to do for your home and family anyway. By the time it is done, you will be healthier, your home will be more energy efficient, and the planet will be better off! The list bellow will tell you how.

Green Pest Control Practices:

1. Putting a mesh screen over the inside of your eve vents will prevent insects and rodents from gaining entry.
2. Getting rid of rotting wood, will help to keep roaches off your property, and out of your home.
3. Mowing more often will stop weeds from creating new weeds, and lower the bug population.
4. Trimming trees properly will help to keep them from rotting and inviting insects and disease.
5. Keeping trees trimmed away from your roof will prevent insects that might use the roof to gain access to your vents, and inside your home, and keep squirrels out of your attic.
6. Sealing all outside cracks and holes including those for electrical cables, communication cables, plumbing, and around doors and windows, will help to keep outdoor pests outdoors.
7. Sealing all cracks and holes indoors, will help keep out the ones that the outside sealing didn’t stop.
8. Replacing worn weather stripping and door sweeps will help to keep insects and rodents out of your home.
9. Screening dryer vents will help to keep rodents at bay.
10. Filling low spots in your property will help to keep the mosquito population low.
11. Keeping the weep holes around your home clear of dirt and debris, will help to keep your home free of mold and mildew.
12. Keeping vines and shrubs a foot or more from the home will improve your chances of keeping pests away.
13. Careful irrigation can help to keep the pest population down.
14. Checking your indoor pets after outdoor excursions can keep hitch hiking bugs out.
15. Not over fertilizing, can help keep fungi from developing on your lawn.
16. Removing debris, and piles of wood, brush, or other materials from your property can cut down on the number of spiders you have to deal with.
17. If you have hornets and ants around your area, removing sugars and carbohydrates can help keep them away.
18. Keeping the lids tightly closed on trash cans, and keeping the cans well away from any place where people gather or doorways to your home can cut down on flies.
19. Good cultural practices like mowing often, can keep weeds at bay.
20. Feeding outdoor pets properly, and leaving no extra food behind will eliminate pests who come to eat the dog or cats leftovers.
21. Preventing grubs by eliminating improper lighting will usually get rid of armadillos and moles.
22. Fixing any leaky plumbing, or dripping outdoor faucets will help to keep all pests away, including rodents, carpenter ants, and fungus.
23. Encouraging Purple Martins and other birds will assist with mosquito control.
24. Bat houses can be a great way to attract creatures of the night which eat other creatures of the night.

All these things taken together constitute a very green pest prevention program, and should lower your need for pesticides of any type. It will also lower your energy bill, since a well sealed home is much more energy efficient, and that is good for your wallet, and the environment. You will probably find that you have fewer problems with allergies as well, since the weeds that you eliminated were the source of much of the pollen that your body is trying to protect you from, and the openings that allowed it into your home are now sealed.

For a more detailed account of what to do, and how to do all these things, see the rest of this website. It is dedicated completely to green pest control through pest prevention. How To Use This Site is a great place to start your green pest control program.

If you are in our service area, we offer pest prevention services. Pest prevention and botanical, natural pest control contains information for you. You can also call James at 903.216.1408 for service, or email us at: james@bugsandweeds.com