What Attracts Mosquitoes to Your Backyard

5 Things Mosquitoes are Attracted to in Your Yard (And How to Fix It)

Do you ever sit on your friend's patio on a lovely summer evening and wonder why your yard isn’t like theirs?

You’re relaxing, not swatting or shooing. All you can hear is the laughter and conversation, not the low buzz of mosquitoes. You may wonder, “Why can’t I have evenings like this. Why do mosquitoes love my yard? What are mosquitoes attracted to?”

You need to know that it’s not your fault, and it doesn’t need to be this way. Several very fixable things tend to make your backyard more attractive to those blood-sucking buzzers.

Here are five things that mosquitoes love about your yard, and what you can do to fix the problem.

1.Standing Water

What are mosquitoes attracted to? Pools of standing water are the number one mosquito attractor in any yard. It doesn’t need much water. They can lay their eggs in something as small as a bottle cap.

Rid your yard of any standing water, which could be found in places like:

• Old tires

• Flower pots

• Garbage cans & recycling bins

• Buckets

• Bird baths and rain barrels

• Toys

A bit of yardwork will also go a long way to helping you control mosquitoes. Make sure your rain gutters are clear, as mosquitoes love the damp organic material that can clog them. And keep your grass regularly mowed! Mosquitos love hanging out in taller grass, particularly when it's wet.

2.Carbon Dioxide (CO₂)

Every breath you exhale is a call to mosquitoes that, “We’re here!”

Mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide (CO₂). That means that the more people hang out in your yard, the more mosquitoes are going to try to get on the guest list.

This can be a tough one to mitigate. You’re not exactly going to stop breathing in your yard. However, you can try to reduce the use of devices that pump out high volumes of CO₂. For example, try not to use a generator on days you intend to have people over. Or avoid using your BBQ close to dusk.

3.Lawn Puddles

Do puddles of water linger on your lawn for a day or two after a big rainstorm? That’s actually creating two problems.

1. It means your soil is compacted/choked with thatch and not getting the nutrition it needs

2. Mosquitoes absolutely love these puddles

Your best bet is to get a lawn aeration to open up the soil so it can properly absorb the air, water, and nutrients it needs. This will not only help keep mosquitoes away, but also give you thicker and greener grass.

4.Alcohol (We’re Not Joking)

You and your friends may joke that the bugs are attracted to the wine in your blood. But there is some truth to this.

Scientists are somewhat split over the exact reasons for it, but it seems that alcohol does make you more attractive to mosquitoes. Why? The suspected reasons include:

• Higher blood pressure and body temperature

• Higher rate of exhaling CO₂

• Increased ethanol/sweat

• Lower defences

In fact, some have estimated that beer drinking can make you 44% more attractive to buzzers.

5.Dark Colors

Bad news for dark dressers. Mosquitoes are said to be attracted to your black and dark purple shades.

Keep this in mind when you’re dressing for an evening in the yard. But also keep it in mind when choosing your patio furniture colours.

Embracing bright seasonal colors could save you from getting bitten or swarmed!

Still Struggling? Call in the Pros

If your yard is a mosquito hot spot in the summer, we can help! The experienced professionals at Mosquito Hero can help you take back your yard and reclaim your summer evenings outside.

You can start right now by getting a free quote for your yard.