Eco-Friendly Mosquito Repellents For Residents Of Friendship, MD

Fast forward to summer, and imagine yourself at Friendship’s La Bella Italia, enjoying warm bread, delicious pasta, and rich sauces. The only thing that would be better is enjoying this meal at home on your patio, drinking a glass of wine. But in this daydream, you feel a sting, you slap at your arm and now there’s an incessant buzzing. The killer of peaceful nights, the dreaded mosquito, will not let you enjoy your backyard Italian experience.

There are many ways to get rid of these biting bugs, including insect sprays and mosquito fogging. But what if you’re environmentally conscious and are looking for more natural remedies?

Plants

One solution involves developing a green thumb. There are lots of plants that have been used over the centuries to keep insects in general, and mosquitoes in particular, away. A bonus is that some plants double as landscaping materials (citronella grass), sources of home-made essential oils (lavender), and ingredients in cooking your own Italian food (basil).

Marigolds

Marigolds contain Pyrethrum (natural insecticide) which is found in many insect repellents due to its distinctive aroma. Mosquitoes and other bugs and insects find it to be repulsive. Read more at IOL…

If you’re more of a citrus-scent fan, try lemon balm, not just as a plant, but as a topical repellant or additive in your tea.

Candles

If planting is not your thing and anything you attempt to grow seems to die immediately, we’ve got you covered. Burn some candles! You’ve probably enjoyed the smell of pumpkin spice and vanilla blueberry candles this fall and winter season. So when the mosquitoes come back out, why not “keep the candle burning” in your backyard?

Mosquito candles are a great way to cover a large area and keep the bugs away from your guests. They are also an excellent alternative to handing your friends and family a can of bug spray when they’re complaining about the bugs. Read more at Pests.org…

Mosquito candles come in lots of scents that help repel mosquitoes, some better than others. If you can find one made of oil of lemon eucalyptus, you’d be on the same page as the CDC because it’s been found to be most effective against mosquitoes. Other options are made of citronella (best when used in limited movement areas), lemon oil eucalyptus and lemongrass.

Mosquito Lamps

If you’d rather go for an unscented version of a non-chemical mosquito repellent, you may want to try the different killer mosquito lamps out there. Most of these contraptions work by wooing mosquitoes and other insects with their UV light, then when they get into their mesh grid spaces, they’re zapped by high voltage electricity. Country Living did research and based on top reviews came up with a list of the best mosquito lamps. Here’s the number one pick.

Gloue Bug Zapper Electronic Mosquito Killer

The 2019 version of this well-reviewed zapper is something of a “mosquito killer night light.” As nightmarish as that sounds, it’s actually quite practical: Simply plug the small, quiet device into any outlet in your bedroom (or living room, or kitchen, or wherever you’ve got a mosquito problem) and let it do its thing, no sprays or vapors required. Read more at Country Living…

That last part talking about “no sprays or vapors” gives one peace of mind, meaning this product is chemical-free and safe for use around your family.

Whether you decide to use lamps, candles, plants or mosquito sprays, choose a method that works for you. The diseases these insects carry are a big deal, like Zika and West Nile virus. And at the rate global warming is progressing, higher temperatures mean climates more favorable to mosquitoes. For other tips on keeping mosquitoes away, check out more posts on our blog. For a more robust method of mosquito control involving barrier spraying your yard to kill and repel these pesky pests, call us at Backyard Bug Patrol.