This time of year, what is more enjoyable than an evening cookout or gabbing around the fire pit? Sitting out in the yard as the sun goes down, watching the kids chase fireflies sounds pretty relaxing. There’s just one problem: uninvited guests. You know the ones: wings, annoying buzzing, and the itchy welts they leave behind. We’re talking about mosquitoes, the plague of any summer outing. They are especially active around dusk, just the time many of us head outside since the heat of the day has finally begun to dissipate. Here’s how to eliminate mosquitoes without chemicals.
Step One:
If you’re tired of scratching, try this simple way to rid your yard of mosquitoes without using poison or harmful chemicals. You’ll need the following supplies to begin:
- A large outdoor fan, like a garage floor fan or box fan with a metal casing
- Rare earth magnets (or good strong ones that can handle being outdoors)
- A piece of screening (regular window or patio screening)
Cut the piece of screen a few inches larger than the opening of your fan. Make a slit for the electrical cord to fit through. Drape the screen over the back side of the fan and secure it using the magnets. Make a good, snug seal. Plug your fan in and turn it on. It’s that simple! The mosquitoes, along with gnats and flies, will be pulled into the fan and get stuck on the screen. As long as the fan is on, there they will stay.
Step Two:
For step two, you’ll need:
- 70 percent isopropyl alcohol
- Water
- Spray bottle
- Cardboard sheet or piece of foam board
Dilute the alcohol with water using a 1:1 ratio and pour in into the spray bottle. Then just spritz it onto the mosquitoes that have been trapped on the screen. This will kill them as well as stick them to the screen. Be careful not the spray the mixture directly onto the fan motor. Once your captured critters stop wriggling, turn the fan off and unplug it. Place your cardboard on the ground behind the fan and give it a light misting with your alcohol/water mix. Then remove the screen from the fan and shake the bugs off onto the cardboard. Give them another spray for good measure and that’s it! Bug-free backyard living!
You can even leave the cardboard right where it is. The alcohol/water will evaporate and lizards and frogs will come along to feast on the insects, without any chemicals that can sicken or kill them. While this is not the quietest solution, it is a pesticide-free one that will allow you to enjoy your backyard or picnic site without swatting and itching.
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Featured Image from Jacob Van Blarcom/Unsplash
