What should I do before the provider arrives?
Mow, pick up toys and cushions, and open gates so the crew can reach every side of your Fort Smith home. Note where you get bitten most and any water you found. That information helps a Fort Smith provider spend time where it counts.
What is the difference between larvicide and barrier spray?
They target different life stages. Larvicide products such as Bti dunks or briquets are placed in water on a Fort Smith property that cannot be drained. Barrier treatments coat resting vegetation with a residual that fades in three to four weeks, so Fort Smith providers reapply through the season.
Why are there so many mosquitoes in my yard specifically?
Two things: water nearby and shade to rest in. A Fort Smith yard with heavy landscaping, a pond, or low drainage offers both, and tiger mosquitoes need only a bottle cap of water. Fix what you can reach, then ask a Fort Smith provider to inspect for the sites you cannot see.
What does a mosquito inspection involve?
A walk of the full Fort Smith property looking for water: gutters, drains, containers, low spots, tree holes, and anything under a tarp. The inspector also notes resting cover like ivy and dense shrubs. You should get a list of sites to fix and a plan for the ones a Fort Smith provider will treat.
How do I choose a mosquito control provider?
Look for a state pesticide applicator license, insurance, and a written plan for your Fort Smith property that includes inspection and larvicide, not just spraying. Ask any Fort Smith provider what products they use, how they protect pollinators, and what happens if bites return. Compare season totals from two or three Fort Smith companies before signing.
Did people hire mosquito professionals because of Zika?
Mostly not, at least by intention. Before comparing Fort Smith quotes, note this: six percent of U.S. homeowners in Mosquito Squad's 2016 Fight the Bite survey said Zika news had made them plan professional mosquito treatment, a stated intention from a TNS Global poll that the company sponsored and whose sample size is undisclosed. In Fort Smith, ask providers to put the number of visits and any re-treatment terms in writing before work begins.
Do mosquitoes really change how people use their yards?
For a sizable minority, yes. For Fort Smith, Arkansas the relevant figure is this: in Mosquito Squad's 2016 survey of U.S. homeowners, run by TNS Global for the mosquito-control company, 23% reported that mosquitoes had altered their plans during the prior year; the sample size was not published. For a property in Fort Smith, the next step is an inspection that identifies the source, not a guess based on national averages.