In this article: Learn how to get rid of mosquitoes using these natural mosquito repellent techniques.

Do you ever feel like mosquitoes are just out to get you? It’s like they are drawn to you, and you alone and you end up covered in bug bites after just a few minutes outside.

And, at least in my area, they seem to be growing. No really, these are like Jurassic Park mosquitoes!

So what can you do? How do you get rid of those darn mosquitoes so you can enjoy the summer outdoors without becoming an itchy mess?

 

How to Get Rid of Mosquitoes: Prevention

 

First let’s talk a little about prevention. Because preventing is ALWAYS better than trying to get rid of or control a problem after it’s started.

So mosquitoes are drawn to water. That’s because adult mosquitoes lay their eggs in water.

This means the first step in preventing a huge mosquito population is to remove all standing or stagnant water. This will give them less breeding grounds which means less larva and less bites for you.

Remember water can be in unlikely places. So be sure to check you gutters for blockages that might cause water to back up. And check your yard for things like buckets or pots, and even low areas in your yard where water might collect.

In addition to removing unwanted water, also be sure to change out the water in things like dog’s water bowls, bird baths, or even kid’s wading pools so that mosquitoes don’t get the chance to lay their eggs.

Okay, so now that we talked about prevention, let’s talk about repelling those mosquitoes so they stay away from your yard and off of your neck and ears.

 

 

7 Natural Mosquito Repellent Ideas for Your Home

 

Natural Mosquito Repellent #1: Citronella Candles

 

Okay, so that’s nothing new. I mean we’ve all had citronella candles on our picnic tables since we were kids right?

But it works!

Mosquitoes don’t like citronella. So burning a candle or torch with citronella in it around your picnic table, deck, porch, whatever, is a great natural way to repel mosquitoes and reduce the amount of bites you get.

 

 

Natural Mosquito Repellent #2: Essential Oils

 

There are quite a few essential oils you can use to naturally repel mosquitoes. Such as:

Lemongrass Oil

Citronella Oil

Lavender Oil

Rosemary Oil

Lemon Eucalyptus Oil

 

And you can use these in rubs, sprays (here’s a great bug spray recipe!), candles, diffusers and more as a natural mosquito repellent for your yard, home, and body.

Related Reading: 11 Essential Oils That Repel Bugs Naturally

 

 

Natural Mosquito Repellent #3: Plants

 

Just like essential oils, there are quite a few plants you can grow in your yard and around your house that can help prevent and repel mosquitoes.

Plants like: Basil, bee balm, citronella, lavender are all natural insect repellents.

Learn more about mosquito repellent plants here: 15 Plants That Repel Mosquitoes

 

Natural Mosquito Repellent #4: Spartan Mosquito Eradicator

 

We used these mosquito control tubes last year for the first time and they definitely did reduce the number of mosquitoes in our yard by a very noticeable amount.

These tubes are hung from trees around your yard and are filled with a sugar and yeast solution that kills mosquitoes when they ingest it.

Be sure to follow the directions and place the tubes away from your home so you don’t attract mosquitoes to YOU.

 

 

Natural Mosquito Repellent #5: DIY Mosquito Traps

 

Mosquitoes are drawn to carbon dioxide, so by creating your own trap that emits carbon dioxide and then traps them inside can help you repel mosquitoes from your area.

Remember that when using these traps to place them appropriately. Most mosquito traps will ATTRACT mosquitoes and then trap or kill them. So don’t put your traps in your seating area or around your home. Place them further away, around the perimeter so that the traps do their jobs BEFORE mosquitoes can reach you.

Here’s an example of a DIY Mosquito Trap.

Related Reading: 13 Natural Remedies for Bug Bites

 

Natural Mosquito Repellent #6: Smoke and/or Fans

 

Mosquitoes tend to be worse in the evenings, so if you are enjoying the outdoors at this time consider setting a campfire to help deter the mosquitoes.

Mosquitoes (and many other insects) don’t care for the smoke, and an evening around the fire is enjoyable for you! You can also consider burning sage in your campfire to repel mosquitoes even more.

Another option is to run a fan. Mosquitoes are not good fliers so a breeze- either from mother nature or from a fan is a good option when it comes to keeping away from you!

 

 

Natural Mosquito Repellent #7: Predators

 

Okay, so this one isn’t so much a repellent as a way to get rid of mosquitoes.

Mosquitoes have quite a few enemies- aside from you- and they can help you control the numbers of mosquitoes in your yard.

Birds, such as song birds or waterfowl, can help you control both adult and larva. We have ducks and they do a great job of keeping water free of mosquito larva, which helps reduce the population.

Other insects such as dragonflies and damselflies as well as spiders can feed on mosquitoes.

Other predators include bats, frogs, tadpoles, fish and turtles.

Creating a nice ecosystem that draws in these beneficials can help you reduce mosquito breeding and bites!

 

 

Okay, so there it is; 7 ways to repel mosquitoes naturally. Give one of them a try and see which one you prefer when it comes to getting some protection from mosquitoes.

Here’s to a happy summer with less mosquito bites, less itching, and more fun in the sun!

Here’s what to read next: 9 Ways to Get Rid of Fleas Naturally!