Spring is finally here! We can finally enjoy the sun and play in the great outdoors. But alas just as we can start to enjoy it we have to deal with those pesky mosquitoes. Will mother nature never cut us a break?! We don’t want to have to fumigate our whole yard with toxic chemicals just so we can get outside. So what else can we do you ask? Well, here are some plants and animals that insects, including mosquitoes, don’t like.
Both Catnip and Rosemary are quite effective at keeping insects away. The oil from catnip has been found to be many times more effective than even DEET. Rosemary is a very popular garden herb that also has an oil in it that repels mosquitoes. Plant a few pots of it around your deck or patio and not only will your friend think you to be very trendy for having your own herb garden, but you they’ll think you’re a survivalist for knowing it keeps mosquitoes away. Because rosemary doesn’t do well in cold weather be sure to pull it inside for the winter so you have it to put back outside the next year.
Marigolds have an odor that many insects don’t like. They are good plants for repelling mosquitoes as well as aphids and other insects that can attack vegetables. One possible down side to marigolds is that some people don’t like the smell of them. I happen to love the smell! So for me that isn’t an issue.
Birds are also a good alternative. They have a high metabolism and have to eat constantly in order to function. By making your yard a good home for them you can keep the insect population low. Birds that thrive mainly on insects are swallows, wrens, martins and warblers. The seed eating birds feed insects to their babies because they are a better source of protein. Check out this site for more information on how to attract birds.