What ruins summer faster than the blink of an eye? The bites of creepy crawling pests hiding within your lawn. Being targeted by mosquitoes and ticks in the warm summer months is no fun, especially when they keep growing in numbers. In Maine, the adult female mosquitos responsible for your itchy welts start appearing in April, so we’re now officially in mosquito season. With the balmy New England summer coming in full swing, here are a few tips on how to create a mosquito and tick-free backyard so your evenings remain comfortable and enjoyable.

With 45 identified species in Maine alone, most homeowners are familiar with mosquitos’ blood-sucking tendencies. At best, these pests buzz in your face and leave swollen bites on people spending time outdoors. At worst, they can spread rare but terrible diseases like West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis. That’s why it’s essential to learn the best lawn pest control techniques for eliminating mosquitos in your backyard.

In Maine, homeowners might encounter 14 different tick species. Some species, like the dog tick, don’t carry any diseases and are simply a nuisance. Others, like the deer tick, carry detrimental, long-term illnesses like Lyme disease. Tick season stretches from early spring to late fall, so implementing pest control solutions now can help you achieve a safe, tick-free yard.

1. Eliminate Standing Water

One of the most difficult parts of managing the mosquito population is their rapid breeding. Female mosquitoes lay hundreds of eggs at a time in standing water, so eliminating any still water around your backyard can force mosquitoes to find another place to breed. To prevent mosquitos on your lawn, take a walk around and remove any sources of water, including old tires, uncovered trash bins, buckets, and flower pots. If your pool isn’t in use, secure it with a cover and ensure it’s still maintained with treatments. Lastly, if you have any standing bird baths, be sure to clean and refill them regularly so the water is sanitary.

2.  Trim Vegetation

While they aren’t laying eggs, adult mosquitoes and ticks will rest in vegetation like long lawns and overgrown shrubs. Even more so, they love it when these areas are shady and damp. So, keeping your landscaping plants and lawn maintained is crucial for deterring these pests. Mowing your lawn regularly at a height of 3-4 inches will keep your grass lush and beautiful without encouraging mosquitoes and ticks to bite at ankle-high heights. We also recommend trimming shrubs and clearing underbrush to let light into your bushes, reducing shade and moisture.

3.  Apply Yard Treatments

For the bugs that just won’t buzz off, expert lawn pest control is one of the most effective ways to say goodbye to outdoor nuisances once and for all. Professional-grade pest control treatments are tested and approved for efficiency and applied by certified technicians. Northern Turf Management provides EPA-approved pest control services that attack ticks and mosquitos at multiple stages in their life cycle, strategically eliminating the pest population.

4.  Create a Barrier

Structural barriers that make a defined border between dense vegetation and your lawn can stop ticks from wandering into your area. For example, fencing can separate your maintained lawn from your unruly neighbor’s lawn, protecting it from roaming ticks and mosquitos. Gravel and wood chip borders work the same way while taking up less space and adding to your yard’s curb appeal.

If you’re looking for ways to stop mosquitos and ticks from invading your personal space on decks and patios, installing mosquito netting and screens can keep the critters far away. With many options to choose from, these barriers enhance your yard’s look and provide a practical way to keep your outdoor spaces enjoyable and pest-free.

5.  Encourage Natural Predators

Turning your backyard into a haven for natural predators that feed on mosquitos and ticks is another eco-friendly way to control the pest population. While they aren’t as effective as traditional pest control methods, encouraging natural predators like bats, birds, opossums, voles, and shrews, and insects like dragonflies and spiders, can reduce the pests in your area. 

Planting native trees and shrubs near a birdhouse will create a welcoming environment for local birds to live and hunt nearby nuisances. Additionally, you’ll enjoy the delightful sight of birds fluttering through your yard! For a more mosquito-targeted approach, installing a bat roost within a tree can encourage local bats to hunt your backyard mosquitos while protecting your local bat population.

There are plenty of methods to turn your lawn into a mosquito- and tick-free oasis. However, it’s still necessary to use personal protective measures during outdoor escapades. Ticks and mosquitos harbor many diseases, but these quick safety measures will protect you and your loved ones.

• Apply bug repellant: Use repellents with lab-tested and approved ingredients like DEET, picaridin, or IR3535 on any exposed skin. These sprays act as an invisible shield against mosquitos, thwarting them from landing and biting.
• Wear long clothes: In tick-prone areas, wear full-coverage clothing like long-sleeved shirts, long pants, socks, and closed-toe shoes. As ticks climb up from grassy areas, they will be blocked from biting you.
• Keep hair tied back: To prevent ticks from getting in your hair, keep it tied back. This will stop ticks from accessing warm areas like behind your ears and your neck. Pulling hair back will also make performing tick checks easier because you’ll prevent ticks from biting hard-to-reach scalp areas.
• Perform tick checks: When you come inside from your outdoor backyard hangouts, check your body, your children, and your pets for wandering critters. Focus on areas such as behind the ears, underarms, behind the knees, and around the waist.

Don’t let buzzkills like ticks and mosquitos suck the fun out of your summer. Our Maine lawn care team at Northern Turf Management offers local customers effective lawn pest control solutions to keep your family safe and your evenings bug-free. Contact us today to learn more about our effective 30-day tick and mosquito control applications today.