We often think of summer as the worst time to battle insects. But pests often invade our homes in the winter, searching for relief from cold weather and food scarcity. Nobody wants to spend the winter cold and hungry. Well, pests are no different. The change of weather is a common trigger for a home invasion by perimeter pests like ants, cockroaches, spiders, and crickets. So, start preparing now by learning how to bug-proof your home for a pest-free winter.

Seal Your Doors

Various insects and pests can pass through even the smallest cracks and crevices. For example, our doorways often have small openings at the door jambs and molding that bugs can exploit. Examine your doors, using caulk and weather stripping where needed, to seal your house from bugs. Home sealing for pest control also helps to keep your utility bills down by keeping the heat in and cold air out.

Add Screens

You probably have window screens to keep pests out of your house. But when was the last time you checked on their condition? Screen frames get bent, the screen can tear or develop holes, and rust can lead to openings that pests will march through. When you examine your window screens, check the vent screens, too. Because you don’t see them every day, they may need repairs to keep your home bug-free. Check them periodically throughout the winter to ensure they are still in good condition.

Maintain Your Yard

When learning how to bug-proof your home, you’ll see how vital yard maintenance is. Preventing pests from nesting in your yard is the first step to keeping them away from your home. This begins with trimming and maintaining trees and shrubs. Sick plants are a haven for many insects. Keep leaf litter, weeds, brush piles, and other garden debris cleaned up, so they don’t provide nesting sites for pets. Remove sources of standing water, and clean up any fallen fruits and vegetables to reduce the number of pests that seek refuge in your yard. This type of preventative maintenance can go a long way to keep your yard and home bug-free.

Repair Cracks

Track down any drafts of cold air, cracks, or weaknesses in your home’s walls that might serve as an entry point for pests. Repairing any cracks will help ensure you have a bug-proof house this winter. Rotting or broken wood, broken or chipped bricks, and cracked or chipped stucco can also provide openings through which insects can enter. Carefully examine your house’s siding to ensure there are no gaps or areas where bugs can enter.

Seal Around Pipe Penetrations

Typically, a gap exists in every spot where a water pipe penetrates a wall in your home. Pests can use those gaps to enter your home. Although the gaps were likely caulked at installation, caulk ages, dries out, and flakes away, which creates an opening for bugs. Inspect each pipe where it penetrates the wall to be sure the hole around the pipe is well sealed against pests. Similarly, air ducts that penetrate a wall, like those that separate your garage and house, should be inspected and well-caulked to seal the house from bugs.

Watch What You Bring Home

When thinking about how to bug-proof your home, note the ways that you could accidentally be carrying bugs inside with you. For example, when you bring in a freshly cut Christmas tree or firewood, insects could be coming along for the ride. In addition, fruit, plants from the nursery, and even the cardboard boxes your deliveries are shipped in can transport pests. Before carrying these items indoors, inspect them carefully and avoid storing cardboard boxes in your home. They are an inviting habitat for many insects, especially during winter months.

Store Trash Properly

In addition to removing any excess packaging or cardboard from your home, storing trash properly is another important part of maintaining a bug-free house. Trash provides food, egg-laying locations, and shelter for pests indoors and out. And any pests that have taken up residents outside your home, may eventually find their way in. So, putting a lid over your trash can and regularly emptying it is essential to minimizing the potential for pests to enter your home.

Use Only “Yellow” Lights for Outdoor Lighting

As you know, insects, especially nocturnal ones, are attracted to light. But did you know that the color of the light can make a difference when it comes to attracting insects? Studies confirm that more insects are attracted to white lights than to yellow ones. And they tend to stick around white lights longer too. The studies indicate that insects have trouble seeing yellow light, which means fewer bugs. Using only yellow lights outdoors may help reduce the number of insects that hang out around your exterior lights. And less bugs hanging around your doors and windows means fewer bugs trying to find their way into your home.

Keep Your Home Clean

This one seems like a no-brainer, but when things get busy, cleaning your home regularly can fall to the bottom of your to-do list. Many insects have essential roles in their native habitats, such as disposing of animal carcasses, rotted fruit, and fallen trees. So, it’s natural that they are drawn to spilled food, discarded paper products, and other messes that are part of regular home-life. Therefore, keeping your home clean and maintaining a regular cleaning schedule is an important part of how to bug-proof your home each season.

Cover All Large Openings

Now that we’ve covered many of the smaller details and have you focused and mindful about sealing, screening, and caulking every tiny crack and crevice in your home, it’s time to go big! Don’t overlook those big openings like the chimney and the roof vents. A fine gauge wire screen can prevent bugs and bigger pests from entering your home through these larger openings. Birds, squirrels, and raccoons see these entryways as an open invitation to ‘come on in.’ Although, the arrival of unexpected visitors during the holidays can be fun. These are not the kind of surprise guests we have in mind. So, to prevent a squirrel, bird, or raccoon from crashing your holiday feast, cover any large opening before the weather gets cold.

Ensure a Bug-Free Home with Mosquito Joe

Learning how to bug-proof your home each season is essential for effective pest control. But you don’t have to do it all on your own. Mosquito Joe can help keep your home bug-free this winter with perimeter pest control services. Our perimeter pest control is designed to keep all sorts of creepy, crawling insects out of your personal space. So, the only guests you have this season are the ones you invited.

And when the weather starts to get warmer, our barrier spray service and natural treatments will make the outdoors fun again for the whole family while ensuring your house remains a bug-free home. We offer comprehensive pest control solutions across the country and tailor our services to meet your specific needs. Learn more about how we can help you make your home and garden safe for your family and pets.

Call us at 1-855-275-2563 or schedule an appointment online today! We will be happy to arrange a free consultation so that you’ll be on your way to enjoying a bug-free winter.

Winter Pest Control Tips

It’s tempting to embrace the chilly winter months, trusting the cold to prevent problems with pests. After all, most pests, like mosquitoes, die in winter, right? Nope. While many pests are most active in spring and summer, some may show up in your home in winter, seeking shelter from the chilly temperatures. So, is pest control necessary in the winter? The answer is yes. For the sake of safety and hygiene, you do need pest control in winter months too.

Common Winter Pests

Our homes make cozy shelters for winter pests, which include an array of mammals and insects looking for warmth. Around the country, people frequently discover mice, rats, squirrels, bats, birds, cockroaches, moths, fleas, bed bugs, and spiders entering through chimneys, attics, small gaps, and wall openings designed for wiring and pipes. They come searching for food, water, and warmth. So, your winter pest control efforts should focus on denying them the essentials they need for survival. Read on for our best tips to control winter pests.

Seal Entry Points

Winter pest control begins with denying entrance to your home. Seal off the many entry points that winter pests exploit. Ensure that all doors and windows fit snugly. Even a tiny gap is wide enough for silverfish, cockroaches, or mosquitoes to enter. You would be amazed at how mice can squeeze through very small openings. If a pencil can fit through a hole, so can a mouse. Check every screen to be sure it fits well, with no tears or frayed holes. Caulk small cracks and seal all wall penetrations where pipes and power cords pass through. Expandable polyurethane foam is an excellent solution for filling holes and gaps in walls and around pipes.

Screen Vents to Chimneys

It is, of course, essential to properly vent a working chimney. Vents allow the smoke and ash to escape outdoors instead of entering your home. But the chimney is also a large, inviting space for rats, squirrels, bats, birds, raccoons, and other winter pests to enter, looking for a place to hide out and get warm. Vinyl screens can be chewed through. Instead, install a metal chimney screen. If you have a chimney screen (also referred to as an exterior spark arrestor) in place, inspect it to be certain it fits well and is in good condition.

Store Food Properly

Thus far, our winter pest control tips have focused on denying critters entry to your home. But another essential facet of winter pest control is to stop luring them to your home in the first place. Cleaning up the kitchen, securely sealing away all food, and keeping an air-tight lid on the trash and pet food will make your home less enticing. Also, keep spilled seeds from bird feeders cleaned up or away from the house, so they don’t attract winter pests.

Store Firewood at Least 20 Feet Away From Your Home

Stacked firewood creates an inviting habitat for many winter pests. They can hunker down and find good hiding spots within the stacks of wood. Unfortunately, that makes it easy to miss them and to carry them right over your threshold when you want to build a fire. So, be sure to keep firewood neatly stacked, well away from your home. It is best to keep it off the ground, supported on bricks or concrete blocks, while allowing airflow underneath the wood. This prevents moisture from collecting under the wood to attract insects. For winter pest control, plan to burn the wood as soon as you bring it indoors. This ensures that any hiding insects or eggs get destroyed. It’s also a good practice to give each piece of wood a quick inspection before bringing it into your home.

Keep Your Home Clean

Good housekeeping is an integral part of winter pest control. In addition to keeping food picked up and put away, you should wipe up crumbs and spills promptly. Dusting and vacuuming are effective for cleaning up insect eggs and larvae that are too small to see. Wash bedding weekly, and make sure to include items used by your pets, such as blankets, rugs, and stuffed animals. Mop kitchen and bathroom floors weekly, and keep the towels laundered. If you need help keeping up with cleaning chores around the house, hire a professional cleaning service to help out. If it keeps pests away, it will be money well spent.

Eliminate All Moisture Sites from Your Home

In addition to craving food and warm shelter, pests need water to drink. So, eliminating moisture indoors helps greatly with winter pest control. Spilled water should be promptly wiped up. All leaky faucets, sprinkler heads, and hoses should be repaired. Clear out blocked gutters and any other places water collects. Don’t allow dirty dishes to soak in water. Squeeze out excess water from sponges, and hang up wet towels and washcloths. If the shower or tub remains wet, wipe it down.

Inspect for Rodents

Rodents are among the smartest and most tenacious of winter pests. It is essential to detect them early before they do considerable damage, start a family, and spread disease or allergens to your family or pets. Be on the lookout for the most common signs of rodent activity: droppings that look like tiny pellets or black grains of rice, gnawing, grease marks, scuttling sounds, the odor of urine, and excited pets. Use a flashlight to inspect deep cupboards, store rooms, closets, baseboards, the attic, crawl spaces, and other dark or recessed areas. Prevention and prompt action are key to effective winter pest control.

Consider Professional Pest Control Services

There is so much to consider to protect your home in the winter. You’re concerned about the potential damage caused by storms, snow, and flooding while trying to keep your home warm and the heating bills down. Thinking about pest control in the winter may feel like an added burden. We get that. Following the preceding winter pest control tips will help you keep critters from spending the colder months in your cozy home, but you may need additional assistance.

When winter pest control becomes overwhelming, or you discover your home is invaded by insects or animals, it’s time to call on professional pest control services like Mosquito Joe. Our comprehensive pest control services are available to you all year round. We have locations with trained service personnel across the country. The Mosquito Joe professionals at each location are experts at identifying and controlling the specific pests in their local area. We tailor our services to your particular needs so you, your family, and your pets can enjoy your home and property in peace, free of pests.

Contact Mosquito Joe for winter pest control. All our work is backed by the Neighborly Done Right Promise™ and our Mosquito Joe® Satisfaction Guarantee, so you know you’ll be pleased. Request a free quote at the top of this page, or give us a call. We are here to help.

 
Ticks and the diseases they carry pose a threat to the health of your family and pets. It’s important to understand how to prevent ticks in your yard and what to do when you find them. As our winters warm, tick season is expanding, and preventing ticks becomes a bigger concern in more parts of the country. Let’s explore some essential information about ticks and the potential harm they represent. Then we’ll dive into our seven tips on how to prevent ticks in your yard.

First, Understanding Different Kind Of Ticks

Out of approximately 850 species of ticks worldwide — over 90 can be found in the United States. However, most tick species don’t bite humans, though they do feed on our pets. The ticks that are most likely to bite people and transmit disease are:

• American dog tick also called a wood tick
• Blacklegged tick, also called a deer tick
• Brown dog tick
• Gulf Coast tick
• Lone star tick
• Rocky Mountain wood tick
• Western black-legged tick

Fortunately, tick-preventing techniques are equally effective for all varieties.

Why Is It Important to Efficiently Control Ticks?

It’s true that most ticks don’t bite humans, and those that do, don’t always transmit disease. However, don’t skip learning how to prevent ticks because you like your odds! Every tick bite sucks the blood from its warm-blooded host, whether wildlife, pets, or people. While doing so, they cut a hole in the skin to insert a barbed feeding tube.

If not removed, a tick will remain attached to its host, feeding on blood for seven to ten days. Unless the tick is removed properly, tugging stimulates the tick to salivate and regurgitate into the host’s bloodstream. Meanwhile, improper removal may cause the tick’s head and jaws to pop off the body and remain embedded in the host.

Even when they don’t transmit diseases like Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tick bites get infected and can cause anemia for your family members and pets. So, let’s see how to prevent ticks in your yard.

7 Tips for Preventing Ticks in the Yard

The following tips will help you in preventing ticks in the yard and keeping your family and pets safe from these nasty biters:

1. Cut down on hiding places for ticks by keeping the grass mowed, shrubs and trees trimmed, weeds pulled, and leaf litter picked up and discarded.
2. Move swing sets and sandboxes away from wooded areas.
3. Keep fences and other barriers to wildlife in good repair. A tick can ride in on an animal, drop off and be ready to bite your pet.
4. Create a barrier between the lawn and garden areas and any surrounding woods by laying down gravel or cedar wood chips.
5. Don’t overwater. Ticks are attracted to moisture.
6. Keep bird feeders, bird baths, and squirrel feeders well away from pet areas.
7. Schedule professional tick control services.

Additional Steps to Preventing Ticks from Biting

Most Americans who get bitten by ticks pick them up in their own garden. That’s why it is so important to learn how to prevent ticks in the yard. However, ticks are commonly found at most of our favorite outdoor destinations, including the mountains, the woods, and beaches. Let’s consider additional steps to prevent ticks from ruining your outdoor fun .

Know When to Apply Tick Spray

Consider using a tick-repellant spray with a concentration of 20-30% DEET. Several on the market are effective at preventing tick bites on hiking and camping trips for people and dogs. When it is tick season in the area, a repellant spray is an excellent way to protect your family on vacation.

Know Which Areas to Avoid

Do some basic Google research to learn whether you live, work, or vacation in an area with tick infestations. This knowledge can help you prioritize your tick prevention efforts.

Dress Accordingly

If you go hiking or camping in an area where ticks are a problem, wear light-colored clothing, so tiny ticks are easier to spot. Also, choose clothing that covers your skin, including long sleeves, a high neck, long pants with the legs tucked into your socks, full-coverage shoes, and a hat. Using a DEET tick repellant spray and then dressing carefully is the best approach to preventing tick bites while hiking and camping.

Remain Vigilant for Ticks and Bites

As important as preventing ticks in the yard is, it’s vital to avoid an infestation in your home. Take care to inspect yourself, your kids, and your pets when coming in from exposure to ticks. Shower or bathe to easily dislodge any ticks that have not attached. Then, carefully search for ticks, with particular attention given to the following areas:

• Neck
• Under arms
• Behind ears
• Behind knees
• Inside elbow joints
• Under hair and on the scalp
• Inside the belly button
• Around the waist
• Groin area

When examining pets, run your hands along their skin, feeling for bumps. Check the spots listed above and your pet’s mouth, ears, and between their toes.

Have Routine Tick Control Treatment by a Trusted Specialist

A professional tick control service makes preventing ticks in your lawn and garden much easier. Together with our tips above about denying ticks a habitat in your yard will help to keep ticks from taking over your property.

Contact Mosquito Joe for Tick Control!

Mosquito Joe provides more than effective and efficient mosquito control service and flea control. We have also been providing reliable tick control since 2010. As a proud Neighborly company, we have made it our business to become the local pest control experts in neighborhoods across the county.

When you hire Mosquito Joe, you trust that your service will be done right and on time. Every visit is backed by the Neighborly Done Right Promise and the Mosquito Joe® Satisfaction Guarantee!

At Mosquito Joe, preventing ticks from feeding on your family is our business. Call us today at 1-855-275-2563 or contact us online for a free quote or to schedule professional tick control services. We make your pool, patio, and yard safe for bite-free fun!

Warmer weather offers the opportunity to spend more time outside with loved ones and pets. But the increase in temperature also leads to more pesky insects like ticks and fleas in your yard. Like many homeowners with furry friends, you may be wondering, “do flea and tick collars work to protect my pets?” Fortunately, a wide range of flea and tick collar varieties are available to keep your pets safe through flea and tick prevention.

How Do Flea Collars Work?

There are different versions of flea collars, and each works a little bit differently.

Typically, flea collars are made of plastic and do one of two things: repel fleas or eliminate them outright. Some collars may only provide one function, while others may do both. Either way, the insecticide must be involved for fleas to be repelled or eliminated.

Flea collars that release a strong odor around your pet’s neck repel fleas through the gas coming from the collar. These types of collars tend to be less effective because they only prevent fleas in the area around the pet’s neck, not their entire body.

Other flea collars are designed to release a small dose of active insecticide onto your pet’s fur, slowly spreading across their skin over time and with movement. When fleas and ticks encounter these active ingredients, they are poisoned on contact.

Another type of flea collar releases an insecticide that absorbs into your pet’s fatty skin layer. This causes fleas to die only after your pet is bitten.

Depending on the collar, the active ingredients could include:

• Flumethrin
• Imidacloprid
• Permethrin
• Tetrachlorvinphos

Related Topic: How to Remove a Tick from a Dog

How Well Does a Flea Collar Work?

There’s much debate on how effective flea and tick collars are. They can be an appropriate preventative measure against fleas and ticks but may not be the best solution for every situation.

Although flea collars are not highly effective when used alone, combining them with other flea control offers better pet protection. For best results using flea collars, experts recommend selecting a brand that contains IGRs (insect growth regulators). IGRs ensure that flea larva doesn’t mature into adult fleas. This keeps flea infestations from reoccurring, as they can do when using a collar that only targets adult fleas and not the larva.

If you’re curious about the effectiveness of a specific flea collar, visit the manufacturer’s website to learn more about the product.

Flea and Tick Collar Safety

If flea collars work by emitting chemicals, are they safe for your pets and home?

Sometimes it can seem like a double-edged sword to protect pets in a safe manner when eliminating pests. Insecticides are necessary to repel and eliminate fleas and ticks, but large doses for an extended time may cause more harm than good.

For example, flea collars containing organophosphates can cause a toxic reaction in pets and people when exposed to them for a long time.

Additionally, permethrin flea collars, which cost less, can be harmful to cats. Felines tend to be more sensitive to permethrin than other mammals like dogs are. In fact, some cats are so sensitive that they can react to permethrin even after casual contact with a dog that’s been treated with it.

There’s even a risk of permethrin overdose when pet owners place flea collars designed for dogs onto a cat. These products can have up to 45% more permethrin than needed to protect your cat. Signs your cat may be having an adverse reaction to a flea and tick treatment include tremors, seizures, and, in some cases, death.

Is a Flea Collar Right for Your Pet?

Most flea collars are recommended for dogs, but do flea collars work on cats too? Yes, there are flea collars that are appropriate for felines, but keep an eye out for any reactions your cat may experience to a new collar. Because they have an increased sensitivity to some flea collar ingredients, cats have a greater risk of skin irritation and other reactions.

Speaking to your veterinarian about choosing the proper flea collar for your pet is highly recommended. Any flea collar can pose some danger to a household with multiple pets, as they may lick or chew each other’s collars, resulting in toxic exposure. But your veterinarian can help you minimize risks and reactions by finding the best collars to meet your household’s needs.

Advantages of flea and tick collars include:

• Ease of use. Topical flea protection often requires an application and drying time, but with a flea collar, you can protect your pet in the time it takes to secure the collar.
• Cost-effective. Typically, flea collars provide up to six months of protection at a reasonable price.
• 24/7 protection. Flea collars stay with your pet and deliver consistent protection.
• No prescription is required. Most flea and tick collars can be purchased over the counter without a prescription from the vet.

Do Flea Collars Kill Fleas?

Flea and tick collars are designed to kill most fleas and repel ticks. Depending on the type of collar you have, it may only kill adult fleas and not flea eggs (larva) or young fleas (pupa).

It is also worth noting that some flea collars only emitting an odor around the neck are ineffective at killing or repelling fleas, not in the immediate area around the collar.

Flea and Tick Prevention for Your Pets

If your pet spends a lot of time outdoors, flea and tick collars can be a useful tool to keep them safe. While these collars provide some level of protection for pets, they may also raise concerns when you consider the repellant is in direct contact with your pet and easily accessible to children.

If you have such concerns, there is a better alternative. Your local Mosquito Joe offers traditional and natural barrier spray treatments to help keep fleas and ticks off your pets so you can all enjoy your outdoor time. To learn more about how to protect your family and household pets from fleas and ticks, give us a call at 1-855-275-2563 or find a location near you.

No-see-ums may be tough to see, but they can pack a wicked bite. What are no-see-ums? “No-see-um,” also written noseeum, is a common name given to tiny little bloodsucking insects you rarely notice until you have a burning sensation and a small red welt where it bit you. No-see-ums include biting midges, sandflies, sand gnats, and punkies. Just under three millimeters in length, they can ruin a picnic and drive people indoors on the most beautiful day. So, let’s explore how to get rid of no-see-ums.

What Are No-See-Ums Attracted To?

No-see-ums can find their way inside your home and get right in your face. If one bites you, it will inject saliva that can cause irritation, pain, and itchiness, along with annoying red bumps. For some, these bites are merely irritating, but for others, they can cause painful, long-lasting lesions.

To learn how to get rid of no-see-ums, we first need to know what they are attracted to and the habitat they rely on. Like mosquitoes, no-see-ums thrive in warm, humid conditions outdoors, particularly near a body of water. No-see-ums are generally attracted to wet areas. It doesn’t seem to matter whether it’s saltwater, freshwater, or brackish water; they love all of it.

Some other common attractants for no-see-ums include:

• Carbon dioxide: This is part of why no-see-ums seem to appear out of nowhere the moment you step outdoors. Every time you exhale, you release carbon dioxide, which is one of the primary things that attracts no-see-ums.
• Heat (including body heat): No-see-ums are also attracted to heat, and your body emits plenty of that.
• Body odor: There’s also evidence that odors attract no-see-ums and that one of the most attractive smells is body odor and perspiration.
• Perfumes: There’s also some evidence that perfumes attract no-see-ums.
  Now that we’ve covered the possible things attracting the little suckers to you, let’s dive into how to get rid of no-see-ums.

What Do No-See-Ums Hate?

So, what are the best no-see-um repellents? Here are some of the things the little biters hate:

• Essential oils: Camphor, eucalyptus, lemon, and mint oils are not appealing to no-see-ums and can be used in natural repellent mixtures on your body or diffused in your home to keep the biters away.
• Insect-repellent sprays: These repel no-see-ums and disguise your natural body odor. Try spraying this around doors and windows to dissuade no-see-ums from entering your home. Sprays that contain permethrin, which is also effective against other insects, are the best no-see-um repellent sprays.
• Insect-repellent lotions: The best no-see-um repellent lotions contain picaridin, which repels no-see-ums for between eight and 14 hours.
• Insect-repellent devices: Devices that emit allethrin can help repel no-see-ums from your yard or patio.

What Do No-See-Um Bites Look Like?

Similar to mosquitoes, it’s the female no-see-ums that do the biting. No-see-um bites look like clusters of little red dots on your skin. While they can stay small, they often swell, enlarging to one to two inches in diameter, and can become painful and tender. If you don’t know how to get rid of no-see-ums, you may get plenty of opportunities to identify their bites.

For some, these bites last several weeks. In general, most no-see-um bites will itch for at least three or four days, though larger or more tender bumps can cause discomfort for quite a bit longer.

To treat no-see-um bites, wash the area with soap and water and then rub with a small amount of hydrogen peroxide. You can also apply hydrocortisone or calamine lotions to soothe the pain and itchiness. If it’s very uncomfortable, apply ice a few times per day until the discomfort goes away. Obviously, it’s better to avoid the bites. So, let’s see how to get rid of no-see-ums.

How to Get Rid of No-See-Ums

If painful and itchy bites are driving you to learn how to get rid of no-see-ums, there are several steps you can take. Let’s take a closer look at each one.

Reduce Moisture: No-see-ums, like most pests, need water for survival, especially during the hot summer months when they are most active. Fix any dripping faucets or leaking sprinklers on your property and be vigilant about eliminating any standing water after it rains.

Eliminate Breeding Grounds: As mentioned, one of the most important ways to get rid of no-see-ums is to eliminate any standing water on your property. Like mosquitoes, no-see-ums require still water, as it is best for breeding. They will lay their eggs in any standing water, such as a lake or pond, and also in water trapped in a bucket, in your gutters, in a tire swing, or in a birdbath. Routinely survey your property, dumping out any standing water, even small amounts.

Use Repellents: The best no-see-um repellants include lotions with picaridin, sprays containing permethrin, and allethrin-emitting devices also work well to keep no-see-ums away.

Trap Them: Figuring out how to get rid of no-see-ums can bring you to high-tech solutions. You can purchase no-see-um traps that attract the biters with carbon dioxide and UV light and then eliminate them with a vacuum or adhesive. For a DIY version, pour some apple cider vinegar into a small bowl or jar. Add a few drops of dish soap. Set it near the insects. The no-see-ums are attracted to the vinegar, but the soap traps and drowns them.

Need Help with No-See-Ums and Other Pests?

One of the best ways to get rid of no-see-ums is through professional pest control services from your local Mosquito Joe®. We offer traditional and eco-friendly barrier sprays that effectively help keep pests like no-see-ums and other biters away for up to 30 days.

All our work is backed by the Neighborly Done Right Promise™ and the Mosquito Joe guarantee, which ensures your satisfaction. Let’s make the outdoors fun again!

To learn more or to get started, request a free quote today.

No-See-Um FAQ

Are no-see-um bites worse than mosquito bites?

No-see-um bites are smaller than mosquito bites and far more painful. Unlike mosquitoes, no-see-ums have tiny, saw-like teeth. And like a mosquito bite, a no-see-um bite is also very itchy. Even if you are not allergic to the no-see-um bite, the welt may take up to two weeks to go away.

Can no-see-ums bite through clothes?

Biting midges, also known as no-see-ums, are vicious little insects that can bite right through your clothes. While dressing in loose clothing that covers you to the ankles, wrists, and neck can be effective against mosquito bites, no-see-ums can and will bite through clothing. That’s why learning how to get rid of no-see-ums is so critical.

Can no-see-ums infest your house?

While no-see-um infestations are much more likely outdoors, they can infest your home, particularly in water-rich spots like the bathroom, kitchen, or around leaky faucets. Be sure to fix any leaky faucets. Because the little biters are so small, they can find ways in, even through intact window screens. The best way to keep them out of your home is to keep them out of your yard.

Do no-see-ums lay eggs in your skin?

No-see-ums do not lay eggs on your skin, but the females do drink your blood to nourish the eggs they will lay, ensuring another generation of tiny biters.

What is the season for no-see-ums?

Like mosquitoes, no-see-ums thrive in the warm, humid months of summer. They are most active in June and July across the country. But they remain problematic year-round along the Gulf Coast and can reappear whenever the weather is warm.