• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

SI Parent

Solutions For Parenting In Staten Island

Get Weekly Activities
Emailed To You
Subscribe
  • Connect With SI Parent:
  • Things To Do
  • Directories
    • After School
    • Birthday Parties
    • Summer Camps
    • Pre-School & Daycare
    • Health and Wellness
    • Special Needs
    • Home Improvement
  • Articles
    • Featured Articles
    • Positive Parenting
    • Stuff To Do
    • Coronavirus
    • Babies and Pregnancy
    • Special Needs Articles
    • Recipes and Food
    • Health and Safety
    • School, Camp and Education
    • Richmond University Medical Center
  • Subscribe
    • Newsletter
    • Birthday Club
  • Advertise With Us
  • SI Parent Guides
Home / Articles / Family Fun / 3 Tips to Stop Mosquitoes from Ruining Summer Fun

3 Tips to Stop Mosquitoes from Ruining Summer Fun

October 28, 2019 By Michelle Yannaco

3 Tips to Stop Mosquitoes from Ruining Summer Fun

No one makes it through summer in Staten Island without at least a few mosquito bites. Not only can mosquitoes be a biting nuisance, but they can also cause allergic reactions in some people and pets. Certain species can spread dangerous illnesses such as dengue fever, West Nile virus and Zika virus.

Minimizing mosquito threats in your yard is of primary importance during summer months, but your outdoor decor and landscaping actually may be attracting mosquitoes. Dr. Mark Beavers, Orkin entomologist, recommends these tips for keeping mosquitoes at bay this summer.

Minimize Standing Water

Mosquitoes only need a thimble-sized amount of stagnant water to reproduce. To reduce mosquito breeding areas, Beavers recommends checking backyards for stagnant water in bird baths, under potted plants and even in your pet’s water bowls. By refreshing water often or eliminating standing water sources, you can reduce the number of places mosquitoes can reproduce, according to Beavers. If a backyard pond is part of your decor, make sure the water is circulating properly.

Plant Smart

Backyards are often filled with places a mosquito can hide, reproduce or feed. Planting smart and keeping vegetation growth in check can cut down on the number of mosquitoes in your yard. Be sure to trim, prune, weed and mow often to keep vegetation under control because mosquitoes love to hide in damp, dark places.

Think carefully about where you place flowers and plants in your backyard so they don’t attract mosquitoes to the places you sit or entertain. Flowering plants can offer a delicious meal for female mosquitoes that need to feed on flower nectar between blood meals. Plants like Bromeliads that trap water in their leaves can also be a prime place for mosquitoes to breed.

Read Next | 28 Winter Date Night Ideas In Staten Island

Turn on the Fans

According to Beavers, another trick is to use mosquitoes’ weaknesses against them. Most mosquitoes are poor flyers, so a simple deterrent is to make it difficult for them to fly. Consider installing a fan on your deck or patio, or even bring a portable fan outdoors.

Also remember your backyard basics: clothing and repellents. Mosquitoes are attracted to dark colors, so keep your summer wardrobe light and breezy. Loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and long pants are typically your best bet. Mosquitoes can bite through tight-fitting clothes made of materials like spandex. Keep your scented body sprays and perfumes to a minimum, as mosquitoes can be attracted to strong smells. When you’re heading outdoors, don’t forget to apply a topical repellent spray approved by the Environmental Protection Agency.

By taking these simple steps this summer, you can minimize mosquito populations in your backyard and stop mosquitoes from meddling in your summer fun. Visit Orkin.com for more pest prevention tips or to bring in a professional to assess your pest protection needs.

summer camp kids
Read Next | This Is Everything You Need to Find an Amazing Summer Camp Program in Staten Island

Filed Under: Family Fun, Summer

Featured Events

Post an Event

Join us Wednesday June 18 @ 3:30 for a M
Today, 3:30 pm

Mystery Craft!
St. George Library Center

Join us for an engaging process-based ar
Tomorrow, 11 am

Preschool Picassos
Great Kills Library

Join us for a special time to bond with
Tomorrow, 11:15 am

Lapsit Storytime: Baby Time!
Mariners Harbor Library

Do you love to draw, paint, and craft? 
Tomorrow, 4 pm

Tween Art Studio!
Stapleton Library

Want to enjoy a memorable day of family
June 22, 10 am

Sunrise Walks & Carnival
Henry Kaufmann Campgrounds

The island’s biggest kickoff to summer:
June 27, 6 pm

Food Truck Festival at The Mount!
Mount Loretto

View All Events…

Primary Sidebar

View Local Activities for Kids
  • Not the Forgotten Borough: McCown Students Create Website Highlighting Secret Sites of Staten Island
  • CityParks Green Girl Afterschool Program
  • Staten Island FerryHawks Announce May 3 Opening Night
  • These Are the Funniest Quarantine Songs on YouTube
  • Mom’s Guide to Successful Remote Work: Ideas and Resources

Staten Island Parent

Staten Island Parent helps parents make better decisions. We have the latest activities and local events that matter to you. Plus many informative articles and important directories including schools, afterschool programs, camps, special needs, birthday parties, health and wellness. Our contests and clubs are fun for the whole family!

    • Browse Past Issues
    • Get Activities & School Info

Footer

si parent logo
Staten Island Parent
One MetroTech Center 3rd Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11201
(646) 559–9100

Important Links

  • Subscribe
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Browse Past Issues
  • Where to Find The Magazine
  • Write For Staten Island Parent
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap

Get Weekly Activities Emailed To You

Subscribe

Copyright © 1989-2025 Staten Island Parent Magazine, All Rights Reserved