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Is Your Tropical Paradise Becoming a Tropical Mosquito Nightmare Instead of a Relaxing Retreat?

Posted by Mosquito Squad

December 20, 2023

What is the number one thing we talk about in mosquito protection? Standing water. However, while you are out there tipping out pools, putting fresh water in your bird baths, and checking to make sure your tarps are pulled tight you may be missing something. Sometimes your plants can be the perfect container to hold water, especially those tropical plants that we love down here.

trees

Tropical Plants Can Be a Great Mosquito Habitat

It takes very little water for mosquitoes to breed so if you have tropical plants in your yard take a quick peek outside to remind yourself of the characteristics. Do you have banana trees, elephant ears, or hostas? Those large leaves sink in perfectly in the middle, perfect to hold just enough water. How about palm and palmetto trees? The way the fronds attach to the trees create a perfect little cup shape. Hibiscus flowers also have the cupping form. Needle palms have clumping leaves and just like piles of leaves on the ground, they can hold water. So now you have this beautiful tropical scene in your yard but each individual part of it could quickly become home to tons of mosquito larvae. That was not the intention at all.

Can You Keep Your Tropics and Lose the Mosquitoes?

pond with elephant leaves When you planned your landscaping this was never what you had in mind, but now that you kind of love it there has to be a way to keep it, right? Well, of course, there is, it will take a little bit of extra work, but it’s worth it right? At least once a week flush out your plants with a strong mist of the hose to get rid of any existing larvae and eggs that are growing in the leaves. You can also put cooking oil on the surface of the water to suffocate any growing mosquitoes. And of course, simply checking each plant to shake and drain out the water on a regular basis will help keep mosquitoes from ever laying eggs there in the first place. For those that create moisture underneath, keep the area under the plant clean and clear of debris so as little moisture is retained as possible.

At Mosquito Squad of Greenville, we have a better idea. Instead of trying to figure out if you’ve got water filling up in your plants and then figuring out how to drain them why not just call us. Our barrier treatment will eliminate up to 90% of the mosquitoes that could settle in your plants and then it actually sticks to the leaves and continue to work for up to three weeks. Our services are 100% guaranteed. Don’t give up on the plants that you love. Leave the extra work to us and let us help you keep them free of mosquitoes with mosquito control. Call today! (864) 362-2013