Why Mosquitoes Love Your Yard in Decatur, IN

You’ve likely already noticed it. Some yards in Decatur get hit harder. You can be out back swatting nonstop while your friend across town barely sees any mosquitoes. Same town, same weather, totally different experience. What gives?

Mosquitoes aren’t picky. Really, they need three things: water to breed, shade to hide, and warm bodies to bite. If your property hands them all three, you’ll be swatting them all summer long.

And unfortunately, your yard probably has more to attract mosquitoes than you think.

If mosquitoes are taking over your Decatur yard, look for water

Mosquitoes breed in standing water. That’s where they like to lay their eggs, and you’d be shocked how little water it takes. You can have spots around your yard with water in them that isn’t even enough to fill a coffee cup that can, nevertheless, start that next generation of mosquitoes.

Nature isn’t doing you any favors here either. Low-lying ground holds moisture and rain events can leave water lingering in places where it won’t drain quickly.

Then there are household sources of standing water such as:

• Clogged gutters and downspouts
• Plant saucers, birdbaths, and that decorative fountain
• Tarps, buckets, kiddie pools, and toys catching rainwater
• Low spots in the lawn that puddle and stay wet

If your yard holds water and the one across town doesn’t, that’s most of the answer right there.

Decatur mosquito control tip: pay attention to shade and shelter

Mosquitoes spend the hot part of the day resting in cool, shaded, humid spots. The more your yard offers, the more mosquitoes can stay there.

Humid microclimates include dense shrubs (rows of hostas, ivy, etc.). Wood piles, leaf litter, and the areas under decks can also give mosquitoes a place to stay. A tidy, sunny, breezy yard isn’t as accommodating to mosquitoes.

Mosquitoes like going after hosts

Mosquitoes find people by the carbon dioxide we exhale, by body heat, and by the natural scents our skin gives off. You can’t stop any of those things (nor would you want to), but it does mean that as you spend more time outside, you’ll be actively signaling to mosquitoes, “hey, come over here!”

That’s not your yard’s fault. It’s not even yours. It’s just a biological reality that needs to be managed. If mosquitoes are particularly mean to you or your kids, you will likely have luck with EPA-registered repellents like those containing DEET and picaridin. You may also want to treat clothing with permethrin.

Making your Decatur, IN, yard less attractive to mosquitoes

You can take some steps to help reduce mosquito problems on your own. One big one is to walk your property after rain and tip out standing water as you see it. The rest is basic home repair maintenance like clearing gutters, mowing grass short, and trimming dense vegetation. But for everything you can’t fix with a rake, there is treatment.

Our mosquito barrier treatment goes after the shaded resting areas where mosquitoes spend their day. When they land on the treated foliage, the treatment knocks them down. It works really well and it’s able to reduce the yard's mosquito population by up to 90%. We return about every 21 days to keep the coverage fresh through the season, because a treated yard that goes too long between visits stops doing its job. 

Why trust Mosquito Squad of Northeast Indiana 

We treat plenty of riverside and low-lying lots around Decatur, and we fight the same mosquitoes in our own yards that we treat in yours. We have experience with thousands of homes just like yours in the area.

Tired of being the yard mosquitoes pick? Mosquito Squad of Northeast Indiana backs every visit with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, and we'll get your first treatment done within 48 hours, or it's free. Call (260) 204-8878 to get started.