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PRINTNatural Ways to Keep Bugs Away!
Are swarming mosquitoes threatening to ruin your cookout this weekend? Don’t fret. There are steps that you can take to avoid getting bit by these bloodthirsty pests.
Step 1 – Ensure That Your Yard is Not a Breeding Ground for Mosquitoes. Mosquitoes require stagnant water to breed. Thus,
- Make sure that there are no buckets or empty planters left where they could collect stagnant water.
- Empty any standing water, and store empty containers upside down.
- Check the gutter on the house for leaves or other debris blocking rainwater from flowing freely.
- Change the water in the birdbath weekly.
- If you have a pond or water garden, install a pump, waterfall or fountain to keep the water flowing.
- Fill in any puddles or low spots in the lawn with soil or rock.
- Check the area just beneath all downspouts to ensure there is no standing water.
Step 2 – Fighting Off Mosquitoes Naturally
- Install a bat house near your outdoor living spaces. Bats dine on mosquitoes in the evening and are a beauty to behold in flight.
- Erect bird feeders in your yard to attract wild birds, which feast on mosquitoes. Stock the water garden or pond with goldfish or other mosquito larvae eating fish.
- Use yellow bug lights outside on the patio, porch, or deck.
- Light citronella candles or mosquito coils when using outdoor seating areas. There are safe propane and butane operated mosquito traps and devices that can be used when entertaining outdoors.
- Install ceiling fans on your covered porch or balcony and sit beneath them when outdoors at night to discourage mosquitoes from landing on you and your guests.
- Use an oscillating fan in outdoor living spaces in the evenings.
- Wear light colored clothing with thin, long sleeves, long pants, and socks when working in the garden just before dark.
- Spray an herbal-based mosquito repellent on top of your clothing. Most herbal-based repellents contain plant-based oils such as citronella, cedar, eucalyptus, lemongrass, peppermint, basil, geranium and feverfew, which are mosquito deterrents. These are safe for use on children, who are highly susceptible to mosquito bites when running and playing outdoors at night.
- Taking garlic or brewers yeast supplements is said to deter insect bites.
Numerous tips for ridding the garden and lawn of pests naturally are found in Deborah Tukua and Vicki West’s book, Pearls of Garden Wisdom.
Deborah S. Tukua is longtime Farmers' Almanac contrubutor and published author. Her stories "Coffee and Alcohol: Good or Bad for You?" and "Learn How to Can and Freeze" are featured in the 2012 Farmers' Almanac. Read her natural health and wellness blog at Chiropractors' Write Hand.Related Healthy Living Articles
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February 8th - February 11th
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Wet snow mixed with rain Mid-Atlantic north through New England; slushy accumulations of 4+" possible.
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Accumulating snows Kentucky, Ohio, then clearing. Fair elsewhere.
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Wet snow Tennessee, western North Carolina; wintry mix northern Mississippi, Alabama. Elsewhere, rain, then clearing.
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Drier, much colder.
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Snow parts of Arkansas, then clearing, cold. Clear, much colder elsewhere.
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Drier, but colder.
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Drier, but noticeably colder.
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19 comments
We use smudge pots… we just pour the citrinella in the pots work really good on your patio…. just gotta be carefull around children.
We put a shiny new copper penny in a ziplock bag & hang several around our seating area to control black flies. Don’t know how it works, but it sure helps.
Taking vitamin B1 (300 mg a day during mosquito season) keeps mosquitos and black flies from landing and biting you. Works for me for over twenty years.
For the black flies and skeeters I use skin so soft from AVON
Best I’ve ever used for any insect stings, skeeters or bees, wasps, etc. is baking soda paste. Just slap some on and let it stay until it dries. No swelling or itching after that. My stepmother taught me that one firsthand!
I’ve used the catnip for a long time, crush the leaves and rub on skin, works great here in Maine.
If you use mud on a sting or bite it will not only cool it but will stop the pain/itch. I have used it many times on myself and on my kids and it works well. As for keeping them at bay, the listerine works well, put some in a spray bottle and spray the area. You will be good to go. Hope this helps.
If you get bitten by the mosquito’s, apply a small dap of colgate toothpaste on the bite, it helps so you don’t scratch!
To help stop the itch of mosquito bites, crush yarrow leaves and apply. We have used this for years (smells good too.)
CATNIP (planted &/or rubbed on) works too …. (Of course, ya better like cats because it’s an “attractant”! (great if you need to sight in your 22)!
the best deterent is using Jerry Baker’s tip. It works I used it at my backyard wedding!!! take a hose end sprayer fill 1/3 w/lemon ammonia, another 1/3 with lemon dish soap and fill with water. attach to your hose and spray the perimiter. Works for special events but too much and the bugs get used to it… Works like a charm it’s the lemon mosquitoes don’t like it!!!
I tried the dryer sheets in my pocket, but I got dizzy from tumbling over and over.
Lemon Joy will kill mosquitos. Place 3 or4 drops in white saucers around deck area. The lemon & white saucer will attract them & soap kills them.
We have a run off ditch along our back yard, bad for mosquitos, I use plants like parsley, garlic, marigolds, zenias, and mint around our deck. It does well enough, I like the bat idea, but we do feed the bird do they get along?
This tips are great for mosquito bites and deterrents. What can help with black flies they are a real problem here in Nova Scotia. Please any ideas would be great.
Thanks
I have also heard about the Listerine. As soon as skitter season starts, I am going to give it a try.
Another deterrant is listerene. Spray it around your outdoor sitting area. We tried it last summer and it worked.
nothing better nor cheaper…
Dryer sheets tucked into your pocket are supposed to help too.
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