5 Options for Reducing the Amount of Bugs in Your Backyard

The backyard is home to more than just your garden. Bugs abound in all shapes and forms. The sad thing is that they destroy plants and can bite you, too. For example, red spider mites are very common in backyards. They live under leaves and suck sap, causing yellow mottling. There are also those that attack trees and evergreens such as bagworms. These are actually larval forms of a type of moth. If you love your flowers, you may sometimes find bugs eating their petals. These could be Japanese beetles. You may also be seeing some damage on your fruits. This could be caused by Codling moths—they especially like to burrow in apples. While there are many bugs that are actually harmless, a majority of them are out there eating your flowers, fruits, and vegetables. So how do we get rid of them or at the very least, reduce their numbers?

Don’t Keep Standing Water

If you have containers lying around in your backyard, don’t let them accumulate water. Drain them as often as you can. This is because standing water is one of your greatest enemies in the process of reducing the number of bugs in your backyard. In fact, this is a favorite place for mosquitoes to hang out and reproduce.

Standing water can also be one of the causes why you’re now dealing with those bloodsuckers. Once you drain them, you can proceed with putting pesticides or treatment in the area. If you live in an area where you might need more frequent treatments, like Atlanta for instance, you can find a company that does monthly mosquito treatment in Atlanta. Remember, mosquitoes are not only annoying bugs that can attack you; they are also sources of diseases like Dengue. So, don’t keep standing water where they can lay eggs.

Clean Areas that Attract Bugs

Think about garbage cans or compost pits—these are areas that easily attract all kinds of bugs, especially flies and ants. That’s why it’s important to keep them empty, clean them, or at least cover them up. These areas are not just limited to garbage or trash cans and compost pits. Make sure to properly clean and maintain the following, too:

• Clogged gutters
• Wood piles and bushes
• Dirty Grills
• Bird Seed and kibble
• Outdoor lighting
• Missing door sweeps
• Outdoor lighting
• Ripped screens
• Cracks
• Overripe fruit

Build a Bat House

This might be something strange and something you’ve never thought about before, but bats are ferocious insect eaters. In fact, they could be your natural insect remover. They consume about 6 to 8 thousand insects every night. In fact, they are worth billions of pest control each year. They are also very effective pollinators and do well at dispersing seeds. Not only will you be helping a wonderful species, but you’re also helping the environment in general. So support these mammals by building them houses!

Attract Birds

If bats scare you a little, then you might want to go with birds. They work just as well as bats at pest control. In addition, they look cute! They contribute to the aesthetics of your backyard, especially if you have a garden there. To attract birds, plant twiggy shrubs and small trees for cover. You may also make birdhouses. Install a birdbath or fountain, as well as a bird feeder. This way, you can have chirpy visitors that not only eat bugs but worms, too! It’s definitely a win-win.

Build a Bug Trap

Building a bug trap is a great alternative to spraying pesticides that not only harm the environment but your lungs, too. In fact, you can simply recycle a plastic bottle and fill it with a solution that will attract the type of bugs you want to want to get rid of. You can even attract mosquitoes by simply using water.

If you’re having problems with fruit flies, you attract them with red-wine vinegar. What you have to do is cut off the top 2 inches of the bottle. You invert it and tape the neck to the opening, making the top sit within the bottle. Then you fill it with the appropriate solution.

If you’re dealing with stink bugs, you can attract them by putting a bulb inside the plastic bottle. In order to do this, you have to cut off the top 2 inches of the bottle, too. You also invert it and tape the neck to the opening, making the top sit within the bottle. Then you use a small battery-powered light inside.