Download | Duration: 00:02:47

Today, I had the chance to talk with Dovid Davis, the Director of A # 1 Pest Control , in Baltimore Maryland, and Dovid talked to me about what's going on withmosquitoes , this summer. He reminded me that were are having a hot summer and that one of the things which is unusual about it is the combination of periods of hot dry weather and then periods of heavy rainstorms and downpour, which is good for causing mosquitoes  to increase.  The mosquito larvae typically will live in any container that holds a minimum of two teaspoons of liquid, and that can be an empty soda can, or it can be a swimming pool that you are not using. Any place where there is sufficient liquid can become a mosquito  breeding spot. 

Mosquitoes  are drawn to people by the CO2 levels in the air that they expire. The CO2 levels in the air people breathe causes a magnetic attraction for mosquitoes.  Naturally, when we think of mosquitoes , we want to know what we can do to keep them away from us, and Dovid told me about a very interesting type of repellant. He indicated that. if you want to think in terms of natural repellants than one should certainly not wear bright clothes and they should put some type of ointment on their skin.  A natural way of doing this is to take a fabric softener that you use to dry your clothes, prior to wearing them, Put two sheets of fabric softener in the dryer with the clothes you are preparing to put on. That turns out to be an excellent natural repellant for mosquitoes, As long as you're wearing those clothes the mosquitoes will be effectively repelled.

Dovid told he gets calls from homeowners wanting to know if he can spray in their yard. Dovid can spray in the yard, and it does help for a while, but it doesn't have a long lasting residual benefit. There is currently no effective spray that has longevity against the mosquito.  You can spray in the yard and it is probably good for about 48 hours. However, if it rains in that particular area, then the spray will wash away, although for that 48 hours you will have relative comfort.

You can take preventive measures and treat your yard, but if there are any mosquito breeding spots close buy, then the mosquitoes  will return. This means, for example, you can, have your yard treated, and if your neighbor has a mosquito breeding spot, either a pool or other type of body of water, then the emerging mosquitoes  from your neighbor's yard will have no trouble flying over the fence and coming over to your yard to attack you.