Mosquitos literally suck. And I don’t even live in an area where they are that bad. In this article, I’ll show you what I did to keep them from crashing my movie nights as well as the research I did to help keep them away altogether. Be sure to look at the related questions below for more useful information.
NOTE: This is not an article regarding complete pest removal for your garden or other nature. This is how to keep them away for the couple hours you will be outside during the night during any time of year.
What’s the best way to keep mosquitos from coming to your movie night without having to put on bug spray?
- Tiki torches
- Get rid of stagnant water and food crumbs
- Spray surfaces near your viewing area
I will go over these subtopics in this article, but first here is some useful information to better understand why they might be prevalent in your area.
Where do mosquitos go during the day and why do I have them in my yard?
It is commonly understood that they rest and hide in areas of relative shade and stagnant water. The region depends heavily as well as season. These two factors will affect how much you have to do to mitigate the pests that are present in your area. The reason you don’t see them during the day is that the sun heavily dehydrates them if they are active. With that being said, sensing that a bunch of people are out on a warm night watching a movie starts to look very appealing.
Tiki Torches
Tiki Torches alone will work well to reduce them completely. Whoever discovered this method many years ago was an absolute genius. They also look really cool at night and that’s a double benefit to getting them. They are essentially citronella candles that create a lightly dense smoke which is what ultimately repels them. It is important to understand that for these to be effective, I definitely recommend getting multiple torches and setting them up throughout your backyard. It is okay if they are in close proximity to you and they will have to be if you want them to be as effective as possible. The closer you are to the flame the better, just don’t burn yourself. Also, don’t put so many out that you’re inhaling the smoke constantly because that isn’t healthy- just find a happy medium. These things are great for setting the mood for any outdoor occasion that doesn’t have to be related to just movies. They also work on other pesky bugs.
Dryer Sheets and Blankets
Yes, the second bullet is an obvious answer but what about the first one? According to the LifeHacker website, dryer sheets are known to keep mosquitoes and gnats away. Before watching a movie, throw the blankets that you will be using into the dryer with a crap ton of dryer sheets and let them sit for an hour. Doing this will coat the blankets in a light scent of the dryer sheets which could potentially keep bugs from harassing you during movie night. As long as you’re wearing a blanket or sheet in the first place, your issue with bugs can easily go down 90%. When I don’t feel like bringing out our tiki torches, I just make sure to cover up or wear long pjs. This solution should work for most people but if you’re still reading, chances are there’s more you would like to do to reduce the negative effects of bugs in your yard which leads us to the next point.
Spray Surfaces Near Your Viewing Area
One quick thing I’ll say in this is to again, get rid of stagnant water. There’s a really good product called larvacide. It’s also worth looking into different sprays which can be applied to surfaces in a safe manner. This article on insectcop.com shows you the best brands to use if you don’t have any lying around the house. Citronella products are the most easily accessible substance to effectively get rid of them.
Related Questions
Can a mosquito bite through clothing? Usually not, but thin clothing such as 100% polyester dry fit clothes is material they can bite through. I speak from experience on this one.
What are the peak hours of mosquito time? According to Google, they are most active during dusk and dawn. If you plan to have a movie night outside, then wait a couple more hours after it’s dark to see if there’s an actual difference in your area.
Are mosquitos attracted to popcorn!?! Highly unlikely. Considering that they are attracted to more natural foods such as bananas, avocados, and fruit, chances are your sour patch kids and popcorn isn’t going to have them swarming towards you. They apparently like O blood type more than others.
Some quick thoughts regarding bug zappers
If you’re unfamiliar with bug zappers, there are many ways to implement them as a tool to keep bugs away permanently. They come in a large array of sizes and methods of implementation. Some look like tennis rackets while the other ones look like lanterns- like the two below.
The thing with the powerful lantern models is that they shouldn’t be used within 25ft “intended for human activity.” The description even says that it shouldn’t be attached to a house or 