This year’s rains have kept lawns green and healthy, but they’ve also brought swarms of hungry, blood-sucking mosquitoes into San Antonio backyards. The prevention of mosquito breeding is key to protecting your family from painful bites and even West Nile Virus. In addition to calling on the help of San Antonio exterminators, try these helpful tips.

-Mosquitoes lay their eggs in water, so the easiest way to prevent overpopulation is to remove standing water from your yard. This includes toys, planting pots, lawn furniture and anything else that tends to collect water. You may need to level out areas of the yard with dirt or fill tree holes with sand.

-Clean your roof gutters annually to keep them flowing freely, and keep street gutters clear of debris as well. Leaves, branches, children’s toys and litter from passing vehicles are the most common culprits. You may need to be neighborly and clean your neighbor’s street gutter so that rain water can flow down the street as necessary.

-Rather than setting your sprinkler on a timer, manually turn it on and off. Not only will this save you money, it prevents mosquitoes from settling in. Using citronella candles when your family is outdoors is another way to deter these pests from ruining your next barbecue.

-If you own a swimming pool, keep it covered when it’s not in use. Drain small pools and bird baths weekly. If you own a stock tank, keep the tank stocked with fish and use mosquito-repelling dunks that contain bacillus thuringiensis israelensis. Fish eat mosquitoes and their eggs, so they are also perfect for watering troughs.

-To keep your family safe from mosquitoes, call ABC Home & Commercial Services for San Antonio pest control. Our San Antonio exterminators use the latest pest control products available. We can also determine whether or not your prevention techniques can be improved through landscaping, home repairs or additional dunks in area tanks.

Stop slathering your family and friends with smelly mosquito repellant. Focus on prevention instead. Remember that ABC Home & Commercial Services uses low impact, effective treatment methods.