Pest professionals today are faced with more and more requests to control mosquito populations on their customer’s property using “natural” or “green” control methods. Perhaps your customers have inquired about some of the following natural methods to control mosquitoes. Find out why some of the most popular green recommendations to control mosquitoes are indeed ineffective and why.

Lie #1: Placing bat houses in an area will attract more bats that in turn will eat the mosquitoes and control populations.

Truth: Many bat species are indeed insectivores that will eat mosquitoes. However, bats will eat many other species of insects as well such as beetles and moths. Studies have shown that when bats were caught in the wild their gut contents were made up of less than 1% of mosquitoes. Bat houses are not an effective means of mosquito control as this WebMD article explains.

Lie #2: Bug Zappers are an effective means of controlling mosquitoes.

Truth: Bug zappers are a popular summer time purchase by the homeowner who prefers to avoid chemical applications to control mosquitoes in their yard or on the patio or deck where they sit. The black light electrocution devices attract and electrocute pests that come into contact with the device. The problem is bug zappers cannot tell the difference between mosquitoes and other insects and therefore kill lots of beneficial insects as well. And, as the American Mosquito Control Association reported, one study found there was no significant difference in mosquito populations in yards that used bug zappers and those that did not.

Lie #3: Landscaping choices can repel mosquitoes

Truth: It would certainly make a homeowner’s life easy if they could simply purchase a few types of plants with mosquito repelling properties, place them in the outdoors spaces they use most and instantly repel mosquitoes from the area. This often talked about gardening tip is simply untrue. While certain plants may contain citronella, garlic or other mosquito repelling scents the plants on their own have no way in which to send these smells into the air to magically chase mosquitoes away.

Lie #4: Green Mosquito Control Is Not As Effective As Traditional Pesticides

Truth: One of the more unfortunate myths that even a pest professional may believe is that if a homeowner requests a green approach to mosquito control that the current natural insecticide choices available are ineffective. ER-3 by EcoRaider is a plant based bio-insecticide which is a triple-action, breakthrough formula that knocks down adult mosquito populations, offers spatial repellency to keep mosquitoes from the area and kills larvae to prevent future generations. Click here to learn more about why ER-3 by EcoRaider is high performing and yet safe for sensitive accounts.