Mosquitoes are tricky pests, and very hard to get rid of. But if you can’t stand the bites and the buzzing while enjoying your balcony, how do you make them go away?
To keep mosquitoes away from your balcony, you have to eliminate all standing water. Essential oil blends are extremely helpful in repelling mosquitoes, but so are opaque bulbs which mosquitoes can’t easily spot. Alternatively, you could use an ultrasonic pest repellent.
Naturally, there are more ways to get rid of mosquitoes and enjoy your summer afternoons bite-free. But if you’re interested in 9 excellent ways to repel mosquitoes and keep them away for good, read on.
Remove All Standing Water
Mosquitoes need standing water to lay eggs. So, they naturally gravitate towards these areas—small ponds, calmer parts of a river, swamps, etc. but also common household items that have been forgotten and inadvertently collected some water.
Females especially will gravitate towards these places, which is unfortunate because they are the ones who bite the most. If you have any standing water on your balcony, make sure that you remove all of them. Get rid of any toys or trays that could be collecting water and empty any bowls of pet water that are standing around. Flip them and only fill them when necessary.
If you’re watering your plants, make sure that the water drains and that there are no puddles in the soil. This could be a perfect hiding spot for mosquitoes as they love the shade, and they need the water. So, you may not even notice them for most of the day, because they would be hiding from the heat, and then come out when it gets a bit cooler.
Trim Bushes and Tall Plants
Mosquitoes are not big fans of heat, so most species will look for a shady place to hide for the hottest parts of the day. In this case, your plants provide a perfect hiding place.
Most people have some plants on their balcony, and if this is the case, you might want to revise their size. Mosquitoes will love tall, bushy plants that provide plenty of shade, more so than short, stubby plants. If you have any of those that mosquitoes would prefer, consider trimming them or simply moving them to another spot that mosquitoes can’t reach.
Consider planting some plants that mosquitoes don’t like as well. This method isn’t scientifically proven to repel mosquitoes, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to try.
Use Essential Oils
Essential oils, unlike plants themselves, have proven to be one of the best solutions against mosquitoes. The strong scent of certain essential oils is enough to keep mosquitoes away, and it’s definitely worth a try.
As a bonus, these oils are natural, free of chemicals, and they will make your balcony smell fantastic. Consider the following essential oils:
- Lavender
- Citronella
- Basil
- Thyme
- Neem
- Lemongrass
- Pine
There are also mixes of essential oils that do a good job. For example, lemon and eucalyptus oil are an excellent combination that can repel mosquitoes. It’s been used for a while as well. You can also use citronella, clove, and cinnamon oil mix, which will give pretty good results as well.
To use it, spray it on different areas of your balcony. You can even use it on plants, but make sure that the oil is diluted so that it doesn’t harm your plants.
Use an Ultrasonic Pest Repellent
Ultrasonic pest repellents are not always effective, but they could be useful. It’s a gadget that you plug into your outlet, and it releases a sound that humans can’t hear, but pests can. And it disorients them, pushing them away from your home.
It won’t work immediately. However, after a few weeks, you may notice a decrease in the number of mosquitoes and other pests around your home. You just plug it in and forget that it’s there. Soon, you will see fewer mosquitoes on your balcony.
The best thing about this product is that it’s not violent. It will simply drive the pests away without harming anyone, releasing smells, or any harmful chemicals.
Install Fans
Fans are an excellent way to prevent mosquitoes from plaguing your balcony. When a fan is on, a mosquito will have a harder time flying because of the strong current of air, so they won’t be around for long. Plus, fans add a nice breeze to any spot, and you and your guests are bound to enjoy it.
Oscillating fans are a good idea as well. Just make sure that you install them at the right spots. Having more than one helps as well. One could be installed near the ceiling and lights, blowing mosquitoes stuck to your bulbs away, and one could be closer to the area where you would sit.
Use an Opaque Light Bulb
Mosquitoes have a sight that only allows them to see certain colors well. These colors are on the cooler spectrum, most frequently including blue, purple, green, and similar colors. Mosquitoes can’t see red or yellow or any colors on that warmer spectrum for that matter.
The LED bulbs we normally use on patios and balconies are a major attractant of mosquitoes, so you should replace them with an opaque light bulb, or a yellow LED light. Red lights are another option, but they are uncomfortable for humans as well.
Mosquitoes aren’t really attracted to lights, but they use them to navigate when there’s no sun. But because the lights are so close to them, they get confused and get too close to these lights. So, perhaps a yellow light could lead to a smaller number of mosquitoes in your vicinity.
Install Screens
If you’ve tried everything and still can’t seem to get rid of mosquitoes, you might want to consider adding screens to your balcony. This is especially true if you live near a pond, a river, a lake or a swamp. With all that standing water around you, mosquitoes will be hard to get rid of.
While screens may not be your idea of aesthetically appealing, they will keep you protected from bites, and you can remove the screens as soon as mosquito season goes away.
Attract Natural Mosquito Predators
It’s always a good idea to let nature do its job. You could attract some of the natural predators to mosquitoes and enlist their help in controlling the mosquito population in and around your home.
You could build birdhouses in your yard or on your balcony. Birds eat mosquitoes, and the mosquitoes won’t like hanging around much if there’s a danger for them. Bats are another mosquito predator, but they are not as pleasant to have around.
Clean Your Gutters
Gutters often contain a lot of dirt and standing water, so you might control the mosquito population around your home by cleaning them out. If water can flow through your gutters freely, it won’t pool, and mosquitoes won’t stick around.
Since mosquitoes also like debris as they give them a place to hide, removing debris from your gutters might also do your balcony some good.
Conclusion
Mosquitoes are one of the most hated pests around. But, with some of these nifty tricks, you can always make them leave your balcony. Remember that you can also spray yourself with some mosquito-repelling spray and thus protect yourself even more.
Mosquitoes are more attracted to bright white lights, heavy breathing, alcohol, and perfume, so you can try to eliminate some of those factors and control how many bites you get. Wear lighter clothes since you will sweat less, and mosquitoes will be less attracted to you.