WOW! What crazy weather...

With all this rain we have been having. One would thing the mosquitoes would be much worse. Yet here we are, approaching mid July and most are not experiencing elevated mosquitoes. Why is that? Mosquitoes spend most of their lives as larvae. Meaning, they are in the water. They need surface air to breathe. They will attach to the surface tension of the water and breath air. When we get heavy rains. The waters surface gets churned up pretty good. Causing the larvae to drown. I don't know about you, I lose no sleep at all over this.  It is also believed many get washed down into the great state of Illinois. Which may explain why Wisconsin is their favorite vacation destination. 

What can you do to reduce mosquitoes in your yard?
1. Make sure all bird baths and other water receptacles are emptied and refreshed daily. 
2. Have garden ponds aerated or have mollies or guppies added. They love skeeters. 
3. Have your gutters cleaned and check that they are hanging properly. You would be shocked how many mosquitoes can breed in a gallon of water. 
4. Use a small barn fan for the deck. Direct the fan towards the seating. No need to produce an 80's rock video. Medium or low speed may do the trick. 
5. Citronella and other natural repellents only work in smaller more confined areas. Any breeze will clear their aroma out and defeat the function of confusion. 
6. Save your money on bug zappers. They will attract far more than they kill and will take out many of the good guys who feed off of mosquitoes. If you must have one, mount as far away from seating area as possible. This way they are a decoy. 
7. Avoid white lights near doors or deck. The amber bug light is still a solid mainstay. If you need brighter lighting. Have the lights mounted off of structure pointing towards the structure. Mercury lights are the worse. Sodium vapor or even LED will be better. 
8. During wet season, try to mow lawn more frequently and at a lower blade. As rains become less frequent, start to mow at a higher blade to help you grass grow deeper roots for better drought resistance. 
9. Call Spectrum Pest Control for an evaluation of risk as well as estimate for preventive 100% natural mosquito barrier service. 

Thank you for reading my long over due blog posting. Enjoy the rest of our short Wisconsin Summer  
​