Traditional barrier treatments work for about 21 days at a time. Natural treatments using plant-based active ingredients typically last closer to 14 days before needing reapplication. Both work well, but natural treatments need to be applied a bit more often.
You may not like the idea of treating your yard with a bunch of synthetic chemicals. But you might also wonder if natural treatments work as well as the traditional ones. The good news is that natural treatments work quite well, versus 21 for traditional treatment.
Treatments, be they natural or traditional, work by treating the places where mosquitoes rest. They don’t knock mosquitoes out of the air. Mosquitoes land on treated vegetation or shaded areas, and that is what knocks them down. This works well because it controls mosquitoes on a population level. They can’t fly around as much during the day when it is hot and dry. So if you give them no place to rest, their options are to dry out in the sun or to come into contact with something they cannot easily survive.
Traditional treatments use synthetic pyrethroids (most commonly bifenthrin or similar compounds). When compared to natural treatments, they stand up better in UV and against heat, sun, and rain.
Natural treatments use essential oil-based formulations—rosemary oil, peppermint oil, lemongrass oil, or similar plant-derived compounds. They’re applied in a very similar way. The only “catch” is that they biodegrade a little more easily, which makes the effective window closer to 14 days.
A traditional program runs on a 21-day cycle, which means you can expect 6–8 visits in a season. A natural program runs on a 14-day cycle, which is more like 10–12 visits in a season.
If you're weighing natural and traditional options for your Southern Westchester property, Mosquito Squad of Southern Westchester can help. Mosquito Squad offers both treatment types, with technician visits calibrated to the product's effective duration to help keep your yard protected all season.
