Terminix has been helping homeowners find the best mosquito control solutions for their yards for over 75 years. We’ve treated countless households and yards for those pesky bloodsuckers in that time. We also empowered those customers to stay ahead of the swarms with proven backyard mosquito control techniques.
But alas, even the tidiest yard and neatest lawn won’t stop mosquitoes from paying you an occasional visit (they can fly, after all), especially if your neighbors aren’t doing their part to keep the population down.
You have a mosquito control service for your yard and enjoy your time outdoors with your family. You have worked diligently to help reduce mosquito-breeding sites all around your property, but you still have to swat the occasional biter when trying to enjoy your yard.
While you have done everything suggested to reduce mosquitoes, you notice your neighbor has not been as proactive.
Perhaps they have an unused pool or hot tub, some old tires behind the shed, stacks of flowerpots, or an unused boat that stays uncovered. They may have thick vegetation and an unkempt yard, and you recognize all of these as potential mosquito breeding sites.
Whatever the case may be, the result is the same: a wrench thrown into your backyard plans due to no fault of your own. Keep reading to learn more about navigating this tricky topic so you can (hopefully!) get your neighbors on the same page and get back to enjoying your backyard this year.
The Terminix Mosquito Management program works great, but you can still have some issues if there is a constant influx of mosquitoes from neighboring areas. In many ways, mosquito control is a community effort. Neighbors with stagnant pools of standing water could make all your proactive efforts and hard work for naught.
So, what can you do to help reduce the amount of mosquitoes coming from the neighbors?
Obviously, taking matters into your own hands is not advisable. You don’t want to get in trouble for trespassing onto the neighbor’s property just to dump out containers of water or do your own mosquito spraying, and you certainly don’t want to create or escalate bad tensions between you and your neighbor. The best thing you can do in these situations is to let someone know there is an issue.
Talking to Your Neighbors About Mosquito Control
Suppose you have a good relationship with the neighbor. In that case, you can educate them non-confrontationally, explaining how they may create a mosquito issue by having these potential breeding sites.
You can also explain that you have a mosquito service that works well but would be even better if neighboring properties do the same. Encourage them to call Terminix for a free consultation.
Alternatively, let Terminix do the talking for you. Let us know about the situation, and we will attempt to contact the neighbor, offering a free inspection and treatment estimate to help them find the best mosquito control strategy for their yard.
If this doesn’t work or the property next door seems abandoned, you may want to contact your neighborhood homeowners association to inform them of the issue. Sometimes, the HOA can instruct the homeowner to correct certain conditions, hopefully in a way that will not implicate you.
If you don’t have an HOA to address the situation, you can contact your local government. In some cases, the homeowner can be threatened with citations or fines from the HOA or local government to help prompt them to correct the situation.
Pitching in for Neighborhood Mosquito Control
Perhaps your neighbor is elderly or physically incapable of correcting the situation. Volunteer to help them out or contact a local charity that may be willing to organize a cleanup event. Let Terminix know as well. We can lend a helping hand.
If the neighbor wants to know what can be done to reduce mosquito populations, or if you are helping them out, you can:
- Eliminate clutter and remove garbage, refuse (like old tires), and piles of leaves or other debris.
- Cover and possibly treat unused pools, hot tubs, or ornamental fishponds with an insect growth regulator (mosquito dunks).
- Empty small containers holding water and turn them upside-down if possible to prevent them from filling back up.
- Remove or trim excessive vegetation.
- Stock large pools of standing water with mosquito-eating fish. Established ponds, lakes, rivers, and streams are usually not big mosquito breeding sites.
Trust in the Terminix Pest Free Guarantee
When the warm weather is calling, and the burgers are sizzling, Terminix is there to help. And with more than 75 years of experience on our side, our local technicians have the expertise necessary to take on any pest challenge. What’s more, our services are backed up by the strongest guarantee in the industry: We’ll keep coming back until the pests are gone. Ready to take your neighborhood’s mosquito control and protection strategy to the next level? Call your local Terminix office today!