So you are all ready to enjoy your backyard barbeques and picnics. The kids are playing (nicely, we hope), the adults are laughing and all of a sudden, the beautiful day is ruined by those pesky little bugs eating you alive! MOSQUITOES!!! We all hate them. Well, now you can prevent them from ruining your family get-togethers by using Bonide’s Mosquito Beater!

Try either the Granules or the ready-to-spray formula. Safe to use in areas where children and pets play, Mosquito Beater contains Geranium Oil, Cedar Oil, Lemon Grass Oil, Garlic and Citronella Oil. It is non-toxic, biodegradable and pleasantly scented. It is great for lawns, patios, gardens, barns, and any outdoor area; making it easy to enjoy mosquito free surroundings, any place, anytime. The Ready-to-Spray formula is all-natural, repelling mosquitoes, gnats, flies and other nuisance insects for up to 2 weeks, and the Granules effectively repel mosquitoes for up to 3 weeks!

By Mel Toellner

In the garden center world you’ve all seen the trend toward “natural” pest solutions. With the recent new awareness of the risks of diseases that are carried by mosquitoes like the Zika virus, many consumers are asking questions about mosquito control and looking for the best “natural” solutions. The solution could cause you to go “batty.” Did you realize one insect-consuming bat consumes about 2,000 to 6,000 insects every night? While Purple Martins get most of the press as mosquito eaters, the truth is bats are much better as they patrol the air at night when mosquitoes are out.

One solution to help you in your battle against mosquitoes is to buy bat houses. Putting up a bat house(s) is a great, natural way to help solve this problem. I personally use the Organization for Bat Conservation Bat Houses because they have the highest proven occupancy of any I have tried. With ever-increasing habitat loss, it’s getting harder for bats to find a safe place to raise their young and roost during the day. By providing a bat house, you give females a warm safe place to raise their young. Bats normally raise only one young (pup) each year. It’s critical they find safe roosting spots.