Backyard Mosquito Control Tips for Fall in Northern Virginia

Mosquitoes are the worst. In fact, you might call them “annoying,” or “pesky,” or even “menacing.”

They’ve even made some top lists, too – and not the good ones. In fact, the Center for Disease Control says mosquitoes kill more people than any other creature in the world by spreading diseases like malaria, dengue, West Nile, yellow fever, Zika, and others. 
 
Yikes. 
 
And despite the terror these tiny pests can bring, even at their most innocent, they are terribly annoying. All you want to do during fall evenings is relax in your yard and maybe play with your kids or sip a cool drink or chat with friends while you watch the tree leaves change color. And mosquitoes can send everyone running back inside faster than you can say “fire pit.” Not only is it the whirring past your ears that you hate, but it’s also the nasty, itchy bites that seem to multiply and then last for days. Before you know it, your party is over. 
 
While mosquitoes might not be gone just yet, you shouldn't have to avoid enjoying your yard in the autumn months. Let’s talk about mosquito control tips for fall so you can banish the bugs and get back outside to enjoy the peak fall season in Northern Virginia.

Menacing Mosquitoes: Let’s Talk About the Main Culprit

Mosquitoes are certainly frustrating, getting in your way of anything you want to do outside – from having a campfire to taking in the reds, golds, and oranges of the fall leaves to sipping on apple cider on the patio. 
 
And these pests can also carry some pretty terrible diseases, presenting more of a threat to you when you’re just trying to enjoy some time outdoors. 

 
What particular mosquito-carrying diseases do you have to worry about? Everything from Zika virus to malaria to dengue fever to West Nile. All of these things can have pretty lasting and harmful impacts on you and your family members. Your pets can be at risk as well. 
 
This is why you can’t ignore fall mosquito control when it comes to keeping these small-in-size but full-with-problems pests away from your backyard.

Mosquito Control Tips for Fall: The Best Ways To Send These Pests Packing

Your home is your refuge, and you’d like to enjoy it all year long. Autumn may be one of your favorite seasons, so you’d hate to miss out on a great year of fall color if mosquitoes are keeping you hiding indoors. 

 
Mosquitoes could care less about your plans. They really only have a one-track mind: find their next meal. Sure, they may also focus on breeding. But they are mainly looking for a blood meal, and you’re on the menu. 
 
Here are some ways you can practice fall mosquito control in your Northern Virginia yard to keep mosquitoes away this season and limit your populations in the coming spring.

Start By Eliminating Breeding Grounds

Mosquitoes are big fans of water. Fun fact: They spend the first 10 days of their lives in water, dining on organic matter in stagnant water and taking breaks to come up to the surface and breathe in some fresh air.
 
Then, they become pupae, which are partially encased in cocoons, and after a few days, they finally become biting, buzzing, mean adult mosquitoes – the ones you can’t stand.

 
As a result, one of the best ways to begin your fall mosquito control journey is to eliminate stagnant water that’s sitting around on your property. Think bird baths or puddles collecting in buckets or empty plant containers. If small pools of water are present, mosquitoes will find them and breed pretty quickly, doubling or tripling their presence in your yard and causing all sorts of trouble.
 
So, remember to empty anything just collecting water outside that you don’t need. And when it comes to things you enjoy like your bird bath, you don’t have to completely eliminate it. But you can regularly empty it and refill it with fresh water. Other things that tend to fall into this category are pet food or water bowls, plant containers, and even water that might puddle on pool covers.

 Other places that collect water are your gutters. Make sure to clean them out so they don’t turn into mosquito hangouts in your yard.
 
It’s just a good idea to be mindful of water buildup and collection on your property. And it really makes a difference. Mosquitoes can breed in the smallest amount of water -- even a bottlecap full!

Don’t Let Mosquito Habitats Draw These Pests To Your Yard

Another thing you can do when it comes to mosquito control in autumn is making sure you reduce the places where mosquitoes like to hang out.
 
Where, you ask, do mosquitoes enjoy spending their time? Since they can’t fly very long because they are actually weak flyers, they need to stop regularly for rest breaks. This means when they stop, they look for places where they feel safe. Safety to them means tall grasses and overgrown shrubs or bushes.

The solution to this is to keep your plant material trimmed neatly – especially the shrubs, tall grasses, trees, and plants located at the outer edges of your property. This proper plant maintenance helps limit mosquito hangouts.
 
You also want to limit piles of wood or store them at the very edge of your property, so mosquitoes don’t use those areas to congregate.
 
Mosquito yard spraying in fall to target these areas is another great way to ensure that you’re controlling any of the mosquitoes that escape your maintenance efforts and still find refuge among your grasses and plants.

 

Add On Some Fall Layers

Wearing long sleeves and pants during those peak evening hours when mosquitoes like to invade your backyard is another great fall mosquito control strategy. This can surely make it a lot tougher for mosquitoes to bite you.
 
Luckily, you may already be adding some long-sleeved layers in autumn because the weather is shifting to cooler temperatures. Your skin will be tougher for mosquitoes to find, depending on the thickness of your clothing – so that can surely help.

 
If you have younger children, you can also try mosquito netting over strollers or seats. While this can be helpful when you don’t want to use mosquito repellent, it may also be inconvenient.

Target Mosquito Yard Spraying In Fall on Mosquito Adults

So, even if you control some of the mosquito watering holes and hangouts in your own yard, that doesn’t mean your neighbors are doing the same. This means mosquitoes could still be lurking nearby.
 
And the types of mosquitoes that can be close range in Northern Virginia from common house mosquitoes to yellow fever mosquitoes to Asian tiger mosquitoes. 
 
Since the adult mosquitoes are the ones responsible for making more mosquitoes, applying a mosquito control treatment every 30 days from April through November can knock down these adults and help reduce future mosquito populations. 

 
While there are DIY control options, hiring a professional in Northern Virginia that knows how to correctly battle mosquitoes is a great option. To manage mosquitoes on your property, professionals will use a backpack mister and spray a fine mist to target mosquito’s favorite spots like underneath trees and shrubs, under decks, and near grasses and common harborages. 
 
Professionals like Turf’s Up also use an organic, professional-grade mosquito product, which goes a long way in beating mosquitoes. Organic products contain cedar oil, so they are safe for your pets and family members, while also being effective against mosquitoes. In fact, cedar oil blocks a pest’s scent receptors and disrupts their body’s systems naturally. 
 
Some mosquito control professionals can also offer you a custom approach to mosquito yard spraying in fall, giving your yard a thorough assessment to determine which areas need treatment in your yard. 
 
Remember, the mosquito populations you can control this year in fall will certainly equal fewer mosquitoes the following year. This absolutely helps keep these pests and the diseases they carry far away from your backyard autumn enjoyment. 

Mosquito Control Services in Leesburg, Ashburn, and Aldie, VA Are Possible in Fall

We don’t need to tell you mosquitoes are a problem. You know it. The second you feel their bite, you know they need to get out of your yard – STAT!
 
Following the fall mosquito control tips above can really help you get a good head start on mosquitoes in autumn, as well as the populations that will come around next spring. What’s more is you get rid of all the threat of disease, too. This is important for the health of you and your entire family.
 
We know you want to take back control of your property and enjoy your yard again. It may seem daunting when you’re still fighting mosquitoes in Leesburg, Ashburn, and Aldie, VA. We get it. Let Turf’s Up help. We can come to your property and do a thorough assessment and advise you on what to focus on specifically to get rid of mosquitoes as quickly and effectively as possible. We can come to your property every 30 days from April to November and ensure mosquitoes don’t stand a chance.
 
We want you to enjoy your yard – in spring, summer, fall, and winter. You shouldn’t have to be stuck inside, wishing you were outside. We’re happy to help make this dream a reality.
 
Ready to learn why Turf’s Up could be your totally awesome choice for mosquito control services in Leesburg, Ashburn, and Aldie, VA? We’re stoked to learn more about you and help you eliminate your mosquito problem once and for all. Get started today with a free quote. Together, we can prepare a customized plan that is perfect for you and your yard. 

Image Source: mosquito, puddle of water