Do you hate mosquitos? Who doesn’t? But just hating them won’t make them go away. One way to keep them at bay is to use a good but non-toxic to humans repellent; I list some options below. But it also helps to trap them, which is why I want you to know about a terrific eco-friendly mosquito trap that is inexpensive, painless to people and the planet, and effective.
By the way, don’t waste your money buying electric bug zappers or battery-powered insect traps. They don’t actually prevent mosquitos from breeding, and they’re pretty intrusive – who wants to sit on the porch on a nice summer night and hear “zzzz” every time a bug gets electrocuted?
This simple mosquito trap is a more eco-friendly option. Just put a few cups of rain, ditch or pond water in the jar and add the powdered bait that comes with the trap. The mosquitos will lay their eggs in the water; once they go in the jar, they can’t get out. Both the mosquitos and the larva that hatch will be trapped forever.
For best results, position a trap every 10 feet or so around the perimeter of your porch or patio, using at least two traps. Don’t put the traps near where you usually sit or picnic, as the jars do lure mosquitos in before they trap them.
What else can you do to reduce mosquitos in an eco-friendly way?
1) Eliminate all standing water. Dump water from trays and dishes potted plants sit in. After any rain, take a walk around the porch, patio or yard and dump out any water; mosquitos can breed in less than a cupful of liquid, so dump it all out!
2) Check roof gutters and downspouts, too. If they’ve gotten clogged, water could pool behind them, providing a great hiding place for breeding mosquitos.
3) Keep pond water moving. Mosquitos need still water to breed; if you have a pond or fountain, use a small pump to make sure the water is continuously moving. You could also keep goldfish in the pond to eat up mosquitos that hover overhead or lay larva in the water.
4) Light candles. On my porch in the evenings, I also light citronella candles. The traps and candles combined have reduced my mosquito problems significantly. However, please note: citronella candles really only work when there’s very little breeze.
5) Wear protective clothing. Mosquitos are at their worst at dawn and dusk. If you need to be out in your yard early in the morning or when evening falls, wear collared shirts with long sleeves, long pants, socks and shoes rather than sandals, and even a hat.
6) Use mosquito repellent that’s safe for you and other wildlife, too. Some insect repellents contain harsh toxic chemicals you really don’t want to put on your skin. Here are a few we recommend.
RELATED POSTS DEET-free Mosquito Repellents That Work
SIMPLIFY YOUR SHOPPING
I’m all for environmentally-friendly pest control. Thanks a lot for this very informative post. I didn’t know I could use even candles to combat mosquitoes.
My only question is, how long does it take for a mosquito trap to lure mosquitoes in for the kill? I don’t want to risk the health of my family over having my own mosquito-killing contraption.
Mosquitoes are drawn into the traps when they pass them by. I don’t think you risk your family’s health by using the traps. At our house, we use a combination of traps, candles, long-sleeves and pants, and some non-toxic bug spray – it’s an effective combination to thwart bug bites.