Mosquito barrier treatments target insects, not birds. When applied by a trained professional, treatments are very unlikely to harm birds either directly (through contact with the product) or indirectly (by reducing the food supply).
You’re tired of mosquitoes. But you worry that treating for mosquitoes might hurt the birds instead. Luckily, the way the treatment works largely sidesteps the most common concerns.
The products act on the nervous systems of insects, which are small and physiologically very different from birds. When applied at the labeled residential rates by a trained technician, the risk to birds is very low. Treatment does not linger in the air and is instead applied directly to the shaded foliage where mosquitoes and other pests like ticks rest during the hot, dry parts of the day.
You may also wonder if pest control deprives birds of their food supply. This is a valid concern, but in practice, the effect on birds is small. Barrier treatments are applied to the areas where mosquitoes tend to gather. The rest of the yard is left untouched, so there is still a very large insect population available to birds.
Having said that, there are still a few easy precautions that make sense. A good technician avoids spraying bird baths and feeders directly, so keep those out of the treated zones or move them temporarily on treatment day, and refresh the bird bath water afterward. Letting treatment dry before birds are active around those spots is simple and sensible. Plant-based treatments are also available if you’d prefer your yard to be treated with a product based on botanical oils instead.
If you're tired of choosing between fewer mosquitoes and the birds you enjoy, Mosquito Squad of New Haven & Fairfield County can help. Mosquito Squad applies treatment carefully to the resting zones where mosquitoes hide, and offers a natural option. This can help you to protect your yard with up to 90% reduction in mosquito activity on a recurring 21-day cycle.
