Do Mosquito Repellent Plants Work? Understanding The Facts

We know that when it comes to mosquitoes you want to do everything you can to protect your family. That may mean trying to implement a variety of solutions to keep these blood-sucking pests away.

One solution that homeowners commonly turn to are mosquito repellent plants. Plants that keep mosquitoes away supposedly emit smells that mosquitoes do not like. This is one of the natural mosquito control methods that people are often hopeful to try.

But you might be skeptical. Do mosquito repellent plants really work?

Truthfully, the quick answer is no, mosquito repellent plants are not an effective solution to keep mosquitoes out of your yard. We’ll go into more detail in this article, explaining why. We’ll also tell you what does work. 

We’ll cover:

Common plants that keep mosquitoes away
Effectiveness of mosquito repellent plants
What control methods keep mosquitoes away
Benefits of hiring professional services

At the end of the day, we want your family to be safe from disease-carrying pests.

Common plants that keep mosquitoes away

Plants to prevent mosquitoes are plants that are said to “repel” these pests due to a smell they emit. Popular mosquito repellent plants include:

• Lemongrass
• Basil
• Citrosa
• Lavender
• Peppermint
• Catnip
• Mint

These plants are commonly marketed as being mosquito repellent. Whether you buy them in a nursery or some other location, they might even have a tag marketing their ability to keep mosquitoes away.

We certainly have nothing against these plants. If you like their look or their smell, you should not hesitate to plant them. But we don’t think you can put too much faith in their ability to keep mosquitoes away. We’ll explain why next.

Effectiveness of mosquito repellent plants

To date, there simply is not enough evidence to support the idea that plants alone are enough to deter mosquitoes.

In fact, this study even found that mosquitoes were more likely to land on people surrounded by mosquito repellent plants than those who were not.

It’s not the plant but rather the extract and oils that might have repellent abilities. So, in theory, you’d need to cover yourself in the oils or extracts to have the deterrent effect that you desire. The plant alone is simply not going to emit enough of an unpleasant smell to deter a blood thirsty mosquito in search of its next meal.

You must also consider the risk of the threat. When you’re talking about a pest that can carry and transmit potentially deadly diseases like West Nile and Zika, it’s simply not enough to protect your family by installing plants. 

You’ll want to implement truly effective solutions that will keep them safe.

What control methods keep mosquitoes away

We wish that plants to prevent mosquitoes were an effective solution. Mosquitoes are a serious threat in our region and one that we don’t take lightly. 

As far as what actually keeps mosquitoes away, we have several recommendations.

• Eliminate standing water. For one, we recommend getting rid of areas of standing water on your property. These become mosquito breeding grounds and are a main cause for mosquitoes continually reproducing. Seek out areas of standing water (like tarps, buckets left in the yard, kiddie toys, etc.) and dump them. Don’t forget about your clogged gutters, too. These tend to be mosquito hot spots!
  
  
• Keep your landscaping trim and tidy. It can also help to maintain a tidy landscape. Mosquitoes are known to hide-out in overgrown areas so making an effort to regularly cut the grass and trim shrubs can play a role in reducing mosquito hang-out spots.
  
  
• Invest in professional mosquito control. Of course, neither of these recommendations can take the place of also investing in professional mosquito control. For one, it’s pretty much impossible to eliminate EVERY area of standing water on your property. Mosquitoes require as little as a thimble-full of water to lay eggs. That means that there are going to be potential breeding zones that you miss. But mosquito problems can also originate on a neighbor’s property. So, even if you take all the steps to make your yard less habitable to mosquitoes, they could still come from next door.

Benefits of hiring professional services

With a pest as dangerous as the mosquito, a multifaceted effort is important. That means you should keep up with eliminating areas of standing water, maintain a tidy landscape, AND invest in mosquito control treatment. These pests are simply too big of a threat to leave anything to chance. 

A professional mosquito control service will help you to have peace of mind that these pests are truly being deterred. 

Of course, if you really love the idea of trying some mosquito repellent plants, there is certainly no harm in that. Some people love these plants for their aesthetic appeal. Unfortunately, the science just does not support these plants being an effective solution for mosquito control.

Choosing Seacoast Turf Care for Mosquito control in Southern New Hampshire, Maine, & Northeastern Massachusetts

At Seacoast Turf Care, serving in Northeastern Massachusetts and Southern Maine,  we target prime mosquito habitats with our product. Most people do not realize that mosquitoes are actually weak flyers and will stop frequently to rest. That means the bushes and shrubs around your property are prime hot spots for mosquitoes. We will treat those areas and others where we know mosquitoes will hang out.

When you invest in professional protection, you are gaining valuable peace of mind that these pests won’t be a serious threat to your family. When you choose the right company, you can also feel confident that you aren’t making a compromise with unsafe products or poor service.

At Seacoast Turf Care, it is our mission to put an end to what’s bugging you. We know that mosquitoes can be a source of frustration and stress. But we’re here to help.

Want to stop worrying about the danger of mosquitoes on your Southern NH, ME, or Northeastern Massachusetts property? Get mosquito control pricing today.