Can mosquito control help with West Nile risk?
Yes, in the sense that it reduces bites. West Nile is carried mostly by Culex mosquitoes that breed in dirty standing water and bite at night, so a Yonkers program that treats gutters, drains, and barrels helps. Check county health alerts for Yonkers during late summer when cases peak.
Will mosquito treatment kill bees and butterflies?
Barrier products are toxic to bees on contact. Good practice in Yonkers is to spray shaded shrubs and undersides of leaves, not blooms, and to work in early morning or evening when bees are inactive. Larvicides like Bti do not affect bees, so that part of a Yonkers program is not a concern.
How do I choose a mosquito control provider?
Licensing and a real inspection are the two markers. Providers serving Yonkers should be licensed in New York, carry liability insurance, and be willing to walk the property before quoting. Read recent reviews for comments about return visits, since responsiveness between treatments matters more than the first spray in Yonkers.
Why are there so many mosquitoes in my yard specifically?
Two things: water nearby and shade to rest in. A Yonkers 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 Yonkers provider to inspect for the sites you cannot see.
What is the difference between larvicide and barrier spray?
Larvicide kills larvae in water; barrier spray kills adults on vegetation. A complete Yonkers program uses both. Larvicide is the cheaper, longer-lasting half, and a Yonkers provider who skips it is leaving the source untouched.
Do most people use mosquito repellent in their own yard?
About half do, at least occasionally. One figure Yonkers homeowners tend to underestimate: personal repellent protects the person, not the property, which is why it pairs with yard work rather than replacing it: 49% of U.S. homeowners in Mosquito Squad's provider-sponsored 2016 survey (TNS Global, sample undisclosed) said they had used it outdoors. In Yonkers, ask providers to put the number of visits and any re-treatment terms in writing before work begins.
Did most people change anything because of Zika?
Nearly half did not. What the research adds for Yonkers: Forty-six percent of U.S. homeowners in Mosquito Squad's 2016 Fight the Bite survey said Zika news had not changed their plans, the largest single response in the provider-sponsored TNS Global poll, whose sample size was not disclosed. Local conditions in Yonkers, New York can differ from the survey population, so confirm the specifics with an on-site inspection.