Sprinkler Magician
December 3, 2020
Everyone knows it’s important to keep mosquitoes at bay, but did you know certain times are better than others when it comes to spraying for mosquitoes?
This article walks you through the best time to spray for mosquitoes based on the time of day, time of year, and where you live in the U.S.
What Time of Day is Best to Spray For Mosquitoes?
You’ll want to spray for mosquitoes when they’re the most active, which is at dusk and dawn.
Ideally, you should spray for mosquitoes when it’s dark out. Mosquitoes tend to come out at Dusk or Dawn, though this changes for different kinds of mosquitoes. The two most common include:
- Aedus aegypti (Asian Tiger Mosquito)
- Culex pipiens (Common House Mosquito)
With 176 types of mosquitoes in the United States, it’s important to know what variety of mosquitos are likely living in your yard so you know when and where to spray.
What Month Should I Spray For Mosquitoes?
While mosquito season starts at different times depending on where you live in the United States, in general, it’s best to spray for mosquitoes around March.
It’s good to start spraying just before the season officially starts. Because mosquito breeding can happen so fast, you’ll want to consider spraying your yard with mosquito repellent before they have time to breed.
The best way to get rid of mosquitoes is by using a natural active ingredient mosquito repellent, like Mosquito Magician, which mitigates mosquitoes without repelling other important insects in your yard or posing a threat to children and pets, when used as directed.
Best Time To Spray for Mosquitoes in Your Region
Mosquitoes are cold-blooded, meaning they can’t keep themselves warm in cold temperatures.
Mosquitoes can’t function at any temperature below 50℉, so cooler weather equals no more mosquitoes! Because of the temperature differences in each region of the United States, the best time to spray for mosquitoes isn’t the same for each state.
South and Southwest
Mosquito Season: March – September
The South and Southwest include states like North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.
This part of the country doesn’t experience a consistent 50℉ climate throughout the year, so mosquito season is pretty long. The most common mosquito in the south is the Aedes aegypti (Asian Tiger Mosquito). The Asian Tiger mosquito is known to come out in the daylight and reproduce in locations of your yard that have standing water, like flower pots or buckets.
Northern Midwest and Pacific Northwest
Mosquito Season: May – September
The Northern Midwest and Pacific Northwest include Washington, Vermont, New York, and Massachusetts. This region has the mildest climates throughout the year, making their mosquito season the shortest out of any region.
The Culex pipiens (House Mosquito) is most commonly found in this part of the country. The House mosquito is known to reproduce in unclean, standing water. This includes, birdbaths, old tires, pet dishes, and storm drains.
Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, And West
Mosquito Season: April – September
The Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, and West include Illinois, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, and parts of California.
These states will experience a mild climate in between that of the Northern and Southern parts of the country. The Aedes Aegypti (Yellow Fever Mosquito) is the most common mosquito in the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, and West.
Gulfcoast and Hawaii
Mosquito Season: February – November
The Gulfcoast comprises states like Florida, Alabama, Missouri, and Louisiana.
This part of the country is consistently over 50℉ throughout most of the year, which means mosquito season lasts nearly all year long. The most common mosquito in the Gulfcoast is the Culex QuinQueFasciatus (or the Southern Mosquito). The Southern mosquito likes to come out at night.
How Weather Affects Spraying for Mosquitoes
If it’s raining, consider spraying your yard on a different day.
The product you’re using won’t take to the ground as well if it’s raining, and you’ll end up having to re-spray that location.
If it rains after you’ve sprayed your yard, you’ll also want to re-spray. It’s important to re-spray every couple of weeks to keep mosquitoes out of your yard. Also, if you experience a lot of rain in your region, consider spraying more frequently than every couple of weeks.
Where To Spray for Mosquitoes In Your Yard
Mosquitoes don’t like daylight. They prefer to live in the parts of your yard that are covered, such as:
- Tall grass
- Bushes
- Leaves
- Shrubs
- Trees
Mosquitoes can also live in buildings, like outdoor barns, where they can stay out of the daylight. It’s important to maintain these parts of your yard before mosquitoes have time to breed there. Keep your yard free from debris and spray barns, sheds, or other outdoor structures to manage your outdoor mosquito population.
If you’re using Mosquito Magician, our Mosquito Magician concentrate can be sprayed using a handheld sprayer or our backpack sprayer. You can also choose to use our automated machines that work with your yard’s irrigation system.
Mosquito Breeding
It’s important to get rid of mosquitoes in your yard so they can’t breed and create an infestation. In addition to spraying a natural mosquito repellent, it’s important to keep your yard as clean as possible and get rid of any standing water.
Eliminating standing water is one of the most important parts of mosquito control.
Mosquitoes love to reproduce in standing water or, if that’s not an option, they’ll place their larvae into saturated ground. Because of this, you’ll want to locate parts of your yard that could be holding water, such as yard debris, and pet bowls.
Standing Water
Mosquitoes only require an inch of water to reproduce. While it’s difficult to know every single place in your yard that could have water in it, you should still manage it as best as you can. Eliminate all standing water in your yard, including:
-
- Buckets
- Flower pots
- Tires
- Grill covers
- Trash can lids
Killing mosquito larvae in standing water is the most effective way to kill mosquitoes. This is because there are hundreds in one place and they can’t go anywhere. We are not, however, advising you to leave water out to bait them because they may become adults before you can kill them.
Yard Debris
Mosquitoes look for places within your yard to reproduce, and yard debris is one of their favorite places to hide. This includes:
- Raked leaves
- Bags of grass
- Long grass
- Thick bushes or shrubbery
- Piles of sticks
- Clogged gutters
Before you spray, take the time to clean up your yard. That way, mosquitoes won’t have a place to reproduce!
Bird Baths
You should change the water in your bird baths everyday or every couple of days. This will keep mosquitoes from breeding in the stagnant water. You can also aerate your bird bath. Mosquitoes like standing water but with something like an aerator, which moves the water, they’ll have to find somewhere else to breed.
How Do You Spray Your Yard for Mosquitoes?
The most important thing to consider when spraying your yard is when and where mosquitoes could live and breed.
If you’re using Mosquito Magician’s natural insect repellent, you have a few treatment options:
- With an automated Sprinkler Magician machine, you can apply it as often as twice per week
- With a pump or backpack sprayer, you should only need one treatment every couple of weeks
For most other insecticides, consider re-spraying every couple of weeks and always keep your yard and home free of any kind of standing water.
When spraying your yard for mosquitoes you’ll want something that actually works! Mosquito Magician’s mosquito repellent products are made with 100% natural active ingredients that will help keep your yard free of mosquitoes all through mosquito season. Mosquito Magician is proven to kill 100% of mosquitoes within 24 hours, so you’ll be able to enjoy your yard mosquito-free!
You can learn more about our mosquito repellent, or start shopping!