Decks and patios are often next to vegetation, shade, and standing water in hidden spots, allowing them to rest nearby. When people come outside, the body heat and exhaled carbon dioxide draw them in to bite.
You built the deck so you could enjoy your backyard. Instead, every time you step out there after 5 PM, you're swarmed. The deck feels like the worst spot on the entire property, and you're probably right. There are a few overlapping reasons why this is so.
Mosquitoes need to rest during the day when it’s hot and dry. They find shaded, humid places to do this, and a lot of those are near decks. For one, the space underneath a raised deck stays shaded, holds moisture, and collects debris. Standing water gathers in low spots, in forgotten items stored underneath, and in the joints and folds of stacked furniture or covers.
Even if the area under the deck had no issues, there is likely nearby vegetation. Most homeowners plant shrubs, ornamental grasses, or container gardens around their outdoor living spaces for privacy and aesthetics. That landscaping, especially in shaded or semi-shaded areas, gives mosquitoes resting habitat within a few feet of where you sit. They shelter in the vegetation during the day and emerge at dusk when you're trying to use the space.
When you go outside to enjoy the patio or deck, and mosquitoes are resting nearby, they don’t have to go far to bite you. They are attracted to body heat and the CO2 you exhale, and that’s all they need to find you. This is made worse if you have an outdoor kitchen or a grill, which also emits heat and CO2.
If you're tired of mosquitoes ruining your deck time, Mosquito Squad of Fenton-Brighton can help. A technician can treat the vegetation, under-deck areas, and perimeter zones where mosquitoes harbor, reducing the population by up to 90% for 21 days at a time.
