What Are the Best Tips for Backyard Bug Control?

Backyard bug control becomes much easier by making the yard less attractive to insects. Limiting access to food, water and shelter for insects will make insects less likely to be drawn to a backyard. Growing plants that tend to repel insects will also help to keep them away.

One of the simplest steps for backyard bug control is the removal of water sources. Standing water in bird baths, buckets or children’s swimming pools will often attract insects. Mosquitoes in particular are drawn to standing water and will lay eggs there to multiply. Emptying these potential attractors will help keep the backyard bug population down.

Not every source of water can be removed completely, but backyard bug control measures can still be taken to keep insects away. For instance, standing water sources like rain barrels perform an important function and cannot simply be removed, but covering the barrel’s top with mesh such as window screen will hamper access. A small electric pump can agitate a decorative pond enough to make it unsuitable for mosquito eggs.

Keeping tidy lawns and hedges is another simple step in effective backyard bug control. Overgrowth such as long grass provides shelter for insects, giving them shade and a convenient place to hide from predators, such as birds, that would help naturally control the population. Long grass also holds moisture, giving bugs a good source of water and making the lawn an especially attractive home. Regular mowing takes away these benefits and makes the backyard a less hospitable environment for bugs and insects.

Leaving trash cans uncovered or partially covered will invite many pests, including insects, into the back garden. Flies often use exposed trash as a breeding ground. For backyard bug control, garbage should be bagged and tied shut before placing in the trash can. Lids should be closed fully to deny all pests access to this potential food source.

Picnics and barbecues mean that food sources are often present in backyards as well. Covering food when possible will minimize the attraction. Citronella candles and oils can be used near food to help repel insects. Alternately, perfumes, floral scented sprays and candles can often attract insects as well and should be avoided for backyard events.

Many plants can be grown as natural insect repellents. Extracts of many of these plants are used for commercial insect repellent products like sprays and candles. Marigolds, citronella grass, catnip, and rosemary all have insect repellent properties to keep bugs away, helping to provide round the clock backyard bug control and to ensure that the yard does not become an insect colony.