Mosquitoes in Tennessee can spread West Nile virus, Chikungunya, and Zika virus, among other diseases. And just as the Volunteer State is famous for its willingness to lend a hand, in this article we’ll teach you how to get rid of mosquitoes in Tennessee to protect your community. Spoiler: The key points are to eliminate standing water sources and prevent mosquito bites.
Controlling Mosquitoes in Tennessee
The most effective actions we can take to control the mosquito population in our area are all within our reach: our own yards. Here are the steps to control mosquitoes in your yard:
- Eliminate standing water sources
- Install window and door screens
- Keep your yard clean
- Fight adult mosquitoes
Eliminate Standing Water Sources
Getting rid of standing water sources is the first and most crucial step in mosquito prevention. After a rain event, water can accumulate around your yard. Mosquitoes use stagnant water as breeding grounds: It’s where female mosquitoes lay eggs. So any standing water source in your home, even a small puddle, becomes a potential mosquito larval site.
The Tennessee Department of Health recommends homeowners “tip n’ toss” any water accumulated in containers around their yards, especially after a rain event:
- Clean gutters and roofs from any clogged debris.
- Change the water in birdbaths, pet dishes, and water troughs weekly.
- Discard anything you don’t need that can hold water, like old tires or old furniture.
- Drain or fill flower pot saucers, tree holes, and stumps with sand.
- Close trash bins and cover rain barrels.
But what if you have a water source that you can’t drain or change weekly (and is not for human consumption), such as ornamental ponds or out-of-use swimming pools? In this case, you can:
- Stock mosquitofish, as they feed on mosquito larvae.
- Treat the water with mosquito dunks or other larvicides.
Install Window and Door Screens
Installing mosquito screens in doors and windows is a great way to keep mosquitoes from entering your home. If you don’t have them installed yet, try using air conditioning when inside your home, and keep the doors and windows closed. Since mosquitoes are not strong fliers, even the wind from a fan can ward them off.
Keep Your Yard Clean
Mosquitoes love hiding from the heat in dense vegetation and organic debris. So to give no space for mosquitoes in your yard, be sure to:
- Remove waste objects such as soda cans, old tires, plastic sheeting, and others.
- Get rid of organic debris such as fallen leaves and branches.
- Fill depressions left by tires in your lawn.
- Mow the grass regularly.
- Trim shrubs and bushes.
Fight Adult Mosquitoes
For immediate relief, you can also fight the adult mosquitoes in your area. If you opt for this route, remember that without getting rid of mosquito breeding sites, this will only work temporarily. The best approach is to combine prevention (eliminate standing water) with the following methods that kill adult mosquitoes:
- Mosquito sprays: An effective way of dealing with adult mosquitoes in your yard, mosquito sprays work by attacking the nervous system of mosquitoes, killing them. To treat large mosquito infestations at once, mosquito foggers might be a handy option.
- Mosquito traps: With some debate around bug zappers’ effectiveness at killing mosquitoes, you might want to invest in other types of mosquito traps. For an environmentally friendly and effective solution, you can opt for DIY mosquito traps.
Prevent Mosquito Bites
As much as we try to control our environment, it is hard to be completely sure mosquitoes won’t appear. Maybe you’re going out to enjoy an outdoor activity, or maybe even traveling. In such cases, the best we can do is protect ourselves from getting bit.
- Apply EPA-approved insect repellents: Opt for mosquito repellents containing DEET, IR3535, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), 2-undecanone or para-menthane-diol (PMD) to apply to exposed skin. Follow the label instructions carefully.
- Wear the right clothing: Choose to wear light-colored shirts with long sleeves and long pants. You can also use permethrin-treated clothing. But be careful when applying DEET-based repellents to your skin, since they can damage clothing made of synthetic fibers.
- Do not use floral perfumes: Floral-scented perfumes and lotions attract mosquitoes.
- Avoid going out at dusk and dawn: If possible, avoid these hours of the day since it is when mosquitoes are most active. If not, follow the other tips above.
FAQ
The peak of mosquito season in Tennessee is during the summer months, but the mosquito population starts gradually increasing in March and lowers again by October.
There are two different types of mosquitoes, categorized based on their preferred breeding habitats:
• Permanent water mosquitoes: These mosquitoes prefer permanent or semi-permanent, bacteria-rich bodies of water, such as the edges of lakes and ponds. Others prefer clear water sources, formed by artificial containers that hold water (and some classify these as a third mosquito type, the container mosquitoes).
• Floodwater mosquitoes: This mosquito type lays eggs in containers like tree holes or moist soil, but always above the water line. The egg then dries out and hatches when the rain raises the water line.
The most common disease-carrying mosquitoes in Tennessee are:
• Aedes aegypti (Yellow-fever mosquito): Vector of dengue virus, Zika virus, chikungunya virus, and yellow fever virus
• Aedes albopictus (Asian tiger mosquito): Carrier of chikungunya virus, Zika virus, La Crosse encephalitis virus, and dengue virus
• Aedes japonicus (Asian bush mosquito): Transmits La Crosse encephalitis virus
• Anopheles quadrimaculatus (Malaria mosquito): Transmits malaria
• Aedes triseriatus (Eastern tree hole mosquito): Vector of La Crosse encephalitis virus
• Culex pipiens (Northern house mosquito) and Culex quinquefasciatus (Southern house mosquito): Transmit West Nile virus, Eastern equine encephalitis virus, and St. Louis encephalitis virus
• Culex tarsalis (Western encephalitis mosquito): Carries Western equine encephalitis virus, West Nile virus, and St. Louis encephalitis virus
You Don’t Have to do it All by Yourself
We know that a mosquito problem might be overwhelming to handle alone. Just remember that you don’t have to. Pest Gnome connects you to the best pest control experts in Tennessee who can provide you with the best mosquito treatment available. Get in touch today and enjoy a mosquito-free home!
Main Image Credit: traveler1116 / Canva Pro / License
