It’s great if it’s cool and shady. Add at least an inch of water and it’s perfect.

Mosquitos—though only the females—want your blood so they can use it for their offspring. Other than that, they tend to be a whole lot like you and me. Get me out of the harsh sun and a brisk wind, and find me a place in the cool shade, please. Here are their most popular hangouts.

Shrubs, tall grasses, and trees

Leaves make handy natural parasols to keep the sunlight at bay. Thick foliage and deep shrubbery create a dark, humid windbreak—and mosquitos choose to hang out on the undersides of leaves while they eat plant nectar.

Because, yeah, that’s what mosquitos primarily eat for food—not your blood. (Female mosquitos exclusively use the iron and protein in blood to make eggs.) So, thin out your shrubs and you’ll reduce your chances of mosquito bites. The same goes for the tall grasses you may be used as ornamental accents around ponds and walkways. You don’t have to get rid of them—just make sure they’re properly trimmed and thinned.

Under your deck

It’s already pretty creepy under there—if you’ve cared to look under your deck lately. Dark, humid, and pretty much undisturbed except by other creepy things like spiders. Your deck can sometimes create the perfect place for mosquitos to hang out, as well as lay their eggs. Check for areas of standing water. The best solution is to drain the water and then put in a barrier layer of sand to prevent further pooling.

Gutters

The cause of your mosquito problem may actually be towering above you. The debris clogging your gutters gives mosquitos a great place to hide, and the standing water trapped by the debris gives those mosquitos a place to breed the next generation of pests. It’s all happening up in your gutters because the last time you cleaned them and checked them for clogging was … when?

This is often the hiding place that people neglect to consider when they’ve attended to all the other locations where mosquitos lurk.

Pots and planters

Most of us love nature, and it’s easier to bring it to us than it is to be out amongst it. Potted plants help us accomplish this, but it comes at a price. Their saucers can fill with water, making them another place where mosquitos will lay their eggs.

You don’t have to go to the extreme and get rid of your potted plants, but you will need to increase your diligence if you’re bothered by mosquitos. Check to see that plant containers and saucers are free of standing water. You’re bound to have a few empty planting pots hanging around. Make sure you store them upside down so they can’t act as water collectors.

Wood piles, or piles of just about anything in your yard

Left undisturbed, a pile of wood becomes nature’s condominium for creatures that prefer to dwell in the twilight. In addition, a pile of grass clippings or leaves has the makings of a perfect hideout for not only mosquitos but ticks as well. Wood adds more structure and room to the equation and increases the possibility of standing water.

Your rule of thumb for mosquitos

Actually, it’s more like half your thumb. If there’s standing water anywhere in your yard that comes up at least to the first knuckle on your thumb—which is about an inch—you’ve got a place where mosquitos can breed.

Look for that standing water, but remember, that anything which acts like a windbreak and shade-maker can also become a hangout for these pests.

Of course, there is something else you can do that requires a lot less work: install a misting system. It will automatically release insecticide in timed releases to keep mosquitos out of your yard. To learn more about a mosquito control system and to get a free onsite consultation for your home or business, get in touch with Platinum Mosquito Protection by filling out our online contact form.