5 Ways To Keep Mosquitoes Away From Your Yard

When you’re trying to enjoy your flower garden or tending your tomatoes, nothing’s more annoying than the constant whine of mosquitoes. Besides being nuisances, many types carry diseases including West Nile virus, encephalitis, and canine heartworm. No wonder we're desperate to keep mosquitoes out of the yard, but it's a difficult task. “You can’t avoid mosquitoes,” says Elmer Gray, a public health specialist at the University of Georgia who specializes in mosquito control. “They’re everywhere, from suburban yards to woodlands to salt marshes, and some types can travel miles to find a meal.”

There’s also no “safe” time of day to be outdoors. “Some types of mosquitoes bite during the day, while others are more likely to bite at dusk or dawn,” says Gray. “But they’ll gladly come out at any time and bite if you disturb them, such as when you’re weeding or trimming hedges.”

Because mosquitoes are survivors that have been around for millions of years, it’s impossible to eradicate them from our yards. And actually, they’re part of the aquatic ecosystem and serve a purpose for the fish, frogs, and predatory insects that feed on them—though that’s hard to remember when they’re relentlessly buzzing around you.

However, you can provide a less welcoming environment for the mosquito population in your outdoor living area by getting rid of standing water, using dunks and fans, and tidying up the garden around seating areas. “Maybe they’re okay at the back of your property, but not on your deck where you’re trying to drink your morning coffee. The goal is to be diligent about managing them in your immediate living space,” says Gray.

Ahead, we've provided expert tips on how to keep mosquitoes away from your yard.

How To Keep Mosquitoes Away

Get Rid Of Standing Water

The first step is to get rid of standing water, which mosquitoes need to lay their eggs. “They’re not strong fliers and breed close to where they’re biting,” says Dan Markowski, PhD, technical advisor for the American Mosquito Control Association. For example, the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus), which is common around homes, lives and bites within 200 to 300 yards of its breeding site.

Mosquitoes typically don’t lay eggs in running water such as streams or maintained swimming pools, says Markowski. But they love areas where stagnant water collects, such as in kids’ toys, baby pools, old tires, wheelbarrows, buckets, garbage can lids, and tarps. Water is especially appealing if it stands for a week or more and contains organic debris such as leaves, which provides food for the developing larvae.

Another often-overlooked spot where mosquitoes lay eggs is saucers under flower pots on your deck or patio, says Gray. Dump them out after watering, or don’t use them at all. Outdoor water bowls for pets should be emptied and refilled daily. Bird baths should be dumped and refilled every few days, too. Rain barrels should have screens.

Use Mosquito Dunks

If you have a spot where you can’t drain the water, such as low areas of your yard or self-watering containers, toss in a mosquito dunk or pellets. These contain a naturally occurring bacteria called Bacillus thuringiensis israeliensis (Bti), says Markowski.

This bacterium kills the larvae with a toxin once they eat it. It’s specific to mosquitoes and other biting pests such as black flies, so it won’t harm butterflies, bees, fish, frogs, people, or pets. Follow the label instructions for how much to dunk per amount of water. The effects last a few weeks, so you’ll need to retreat periodically, says Gray.

Keep Your Yard Tidy

Adult mosquitoes like to hide out in vegetation from the heat of the day. Cut back on their hiding places by keeping grass and hedges trimmed near areas where you sit and play, says Gray. Mosquitoes also hide in ground covers like English ivy, so keep your seating areas away from it.

Wear Repellents

No matter what the hype, candles, sonic devices, and bracelets don’t keep mosquitoes away. What is effective are EPA-approved mosquito repellents that contain ingredients such as DEET, picaridin, and oil of lemon eucalyptus, says Markowski.

Newer plant-based active ingredients such a catnip oil (nepeta cataria) from catmint, and 2-undecanone, made from the stems and leaves of wild tomatoes, also work well, though not as long as DEET. Read the label to understand how often you’ll have to reapply each product.

You also can try a space repellent, which emits a plume of vaporized EPA-approved pesticide (prallethin, allethrin, or metofluthrin). These tend to work best when there’s little wind and you’re not moving around emitting carbon dioxide, body heat, and other odors that attract mosquitoes, says Gray. Clothing impregnated with permethrin is another option. Mosquitoes are attracted to dark colors, so wear light loose-fitting, light colored clothing, says Gray.

Use A Box Fan

This low-tech method works well. Use a fan on high when you’re seated to keep them out of your space because they don’t like to fly in heavy wind, says Gray.

Do Plants Repel Mosquitoes?

You’ll find “mosquito-repelling” plants such as citrosa, lavender, and lemongrass sold at any garden center. But currently, there’s no research backing this up, says Gray. In fact, in one study, mosquitoes landed more frequently on people surrounded by the plants rather than those not surrounded.

While there’s evidence that some plant extracts may have repellant properties, that doesn’t mean lining your deck with these plants will work. “Most of the research has been conducted with the plant extracts or oils, not the plants themselves,” says Markowski.

Can You Trap Mosquitoes?

You may have seen hacks like using soda bottles, yeast, or other household items to make mosquito traps outdoors, but they’re not effective. “Traps are used by scientists to keep track of mosquito populations and test if they’re carrying diseases. But they’re used for surveillance, not control,” says Gray. While DIY traps may catch a few mosquitoes, they’ll also capture other beneficial insects and won’t significantly reduce the mosquito population.

Ditto for bug lights. These lights electrocute the good guys, too, in huge numbers. One study of these devices showed that of the more than 13,000 bugs zapped during the study, less than 1% were biting flies (including mosquitoes).

Now get out there and enjoy the garden!