There are many ways you can reduce mosquitoes and ticks on your own. In some cases, these steps may be enough to bring their populations below a threshold that is acceptable to you.
Mosquito Management
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Locate sources of standing water in your yard and address the conditions that are causing water to sit. It takes a little over seven days for a mosquito to go from egg to flying adult.
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Remove containers that capture rainwater. It only takes ½ an inch of water for a mosquito to develop.
Tick Management
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Prevent wildlife from finding harborage in your yard. When an animal beds down, it creates the conditions for flea reproduction. If you apply fencing to seal voids underneath structures, and remove objects from your yard that animals can hide in, you can reduce adult ticks in your yard.
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Rake leaves up and remove them as soon as possible. Ticks need moisture and they are able to find harborage under leaf litter and piled leaves.
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Remove or protect any food source in your yard that may attract animals. Put bagged trash in covered receptacles. Move bird feeders away from your exterior. Move wood piles away from your exterior and elevate your wood stacks.
When Conditions Are Conducive
Every yard is different, and the conditions around your property could make mosquitoes or ticks worse for you. If this is the case, it is best to have a licensed pest management professional handle your mosquito and tick control.
Pest control is a science, and the secret to getting effective control of mosquitoes and ticks is to enlist the aid of a scientist. In West Chester PA, Masters Touch Pest Solutions offers property owners a mixture of services that work together to provide the best possible control of these disease-spreading pests.
Three Steps
These are the steps we take to reduce mosquito and tick populations, break the cycle of reproduction, and help you take your backyard back.
Evaluation. There are many ways your yard can provide the right habitat for mosquitoes and ticks. We let you know what could be changed and how these changes can have a big impact. We will make some of the recommendations listed above, but this list is far from comprehensive. There is always something that can be altered. And don't worry. If you can't make the alterations, the next two steps are so effective, you may not need to do anything.
Larvicide. Water sources can provide breeding sites for mosquitoes or provide dampness for ticks. If sources of water can't be removed, we may apply larvicides to stop mosquito and tick development. These products are EPA-approved and considered least toxic to humans and pets.
Treatments. An application of mist to key areas on your property has a systemic effect on mosquitoes and ticks. For mosquitoes, it works to take down female mosquitoes before they lay hundreds of eggs in your yard. For ticks, it eliminates them before they can get on you or your pets and ride into your home.
What You May Not Know About Mosquitoes
A mosquito won't go from yard to yard and buzz around your neighborhood looking for a blood meal. The mosquitoes that bite you in your yard are probably mosquitoes that hatched in your yard. Most mosquitoes will not travel more than a few hundred feet in their entire life. This is why mosquito control in your yard can have such a big impact. Keep in mind that one female mosquito can lay as many as 300 eggs in your yard in a short period of time. That's a lot of mosquitoes! The services stop those eggs from becoming flying (and biting) mosquitoes.
What You May Not Know About Ticks
Most ticks can't complete their life cycle in your home. They get in, live for a short while, and die off. If you take steps to reduce ticks around your home, it will go a long way toward preventing an infestation and create a buffer between you and those disease-spreading pests. Next to getting flea and tick collars for your pets, there is no better way to protect your pets and yourself from the threat of tick-borne diseases than to invest in mosquito and tick control.
One-Time Or All Year Long
At Masters Touch Pest Solutions, we provide one-time treatments before important outdoor events, or ongoing, always active control for mosquitoes and ticks all year long. If you live in West Chester, reach out to us today and let us know your concerns. We'll guide you in selecting the right treatment options for your specific needs and budget. You don't have to live with mosquitoes and ticks. Take your backyard back, starting today.
