Mosquitoes are a nuisance. They buzz around your head, land on you and bite you. These pests can ruin outdoor barbecues, camping trips, and fire pit nights with friends. In this blog post we'll explore the question of fire pits keeping mosquitoes away to see if they really do have any effect on these pesky insects.
Yes, fire pits keep mosquitoes away. Fire pits emit smoke that repels mosquitoes. This is the same effect you see when you go camping and have a fire burning.
When I was a kid, my brother and I went on a camping trip. We had made a make shift tent. Most of the evening we were near the fire until it was time to go to sleep. When everyone retired to their tents, we went into ours. It didn't take long for the mosquitoes to attack use. Both ends of our tent were wide open.
We knew that the mosquitoes were not bothering us by the fire, so we grab our sleeping bags and went back to the campfire area. The adults had let the fire burn out, but there were still some hot embers. We quickly got the fire going and spent the night by the fire. We weren't bother by anymore mosquitoes.
How much of an area will a fire pit repel mosquitoes
There is a drawback if you try to use a fire pit to repel mosquitoes. The smoke from a fire pit will only keep mosquitoes away from a very small area around the it. A fire pit would not be a good solution to keep mosquitoes out of your entire yard. You would have to burn a lot of wood and produce a lot of smoke to keep mosquitoes out of all of your yard. The problem with this method is you wouldn't be able to be in the yard because there would be too much smoke.
How long will mosquitoes stay away
As long as a fire is burning in your fire pit, mosquitoes will not come near it. Once the fire is out or very near out, mosquitoes will not hesitate to bother you. This is because the smoke that is keeping them away is continually being moved out by fresh air. It is the only safe way you can use a fire pit.
What can I burn in my fire pit to keep mosquitoes away
You can try adding basil, rosemary, or lavender. These herbs help keep mosquitoes away. Other plants such as catnip and mint work well too.
Do smokeless fire pits keep mosquitoes away
Smokeless fire pits are not as effective at keeping mosquitoes away as fire pits that burn wood and produce smoke. The heat from a smokeless fire pit will keep mosquitoes away from the pit itself, but that's about all the repelling it will do. It is the smoke from wood burning that does the repelling once you move away from your fire pit.
Smokeless fire pits may attract mosquitoes if they produce carbon dioxide. If you are using propane as your fuel, you may inadvertently attract mosquitoes. This is because when propane burns it produces carbon dioxide and not enough smoke to repel mosquitoes.
Can I put citronella oil in a fire pit to keep mosquitoes away
Citronella oil does keep mosquitoes away. If you pit it in your fire pit, it will burn off very quickly. Since it is flammable, it may even be dangerous if you put to much in at one time. Burning citronella oil in your fire pit is not an effective way to keep mosquitoes away.
Other ways to keep mosquitoes away while enjoying your fire pit
Its great that your fire pit can help to keep mosquitoes away when you are having fun, but not everyone will be close enough to the fire pit to keep all of the mosquitoes away. This is where you will need to use other means to keep those pest away.
Baiting
You can keep mosquitoes out of your yard by baiting. Baiting mosquitoes means placing a trap with a substance in it that attracts mosquitoes to the trap. They are attracted to the substance and get stuck in the in the trap.
Another form of baiting is to use a substance that will kill the mosquitoes, but you don't trap them. You just let them freely come and go as they like from the bait station. The idea is that most of the mosquitoes in the area will be attracted to the bait and eat it. This will kill off all of the mosquitoes in your area.
The major problem with using this method is it attracts all of the mosquitoes to it. This means you will have a lot of mosquitoes around the bait station until they die off. The best method for using this kind of bait station is to place it away from the area where people will gather, but close enough that it will kill off the mosquitoes that come in the area where you will be congregating. You can also place the bait out weeks before you plan to get together so it has time to work.
Spray your yard
Spraying your yard with mosquito spray is a great way to keep mosquitoes away. Spray your yard once or twice a week in the early evenings, as mosquitoes are most active during this time of day.
Spray around doorways and other entry points into your home so that nasty mosquitoes cannot get inside with you when you go back indoors. Some people find it helpful to keep a small bottle of mosquito spray in the yard and keep it handy to use when you see mosquitoes.
Natural remedies
Citronella oil is a natural way to keep mosquitoes away. You can keep a small pot of these plants in your yard, and they will keep the mosquitoes away for you. Keep an eye out for Neem oil as well. It is another natural way to keep mosquitoes at bay.
In addition to spraying mosquito repellent around your yard, there are some other things that you can do:
- Make a perimeter around your yard. Put in place some plants that mosquitoes find distasteful, such as lavender and eucalyptus trees.
- Keep water pools clean! Mosquitoes love stagnant waters - keep these areas clear of debris or standing water to keep the mosquito population down.
- Watch what you wear outside. Dress in light-colored clothes that keep mosquitoes away.
- Mosquito coils, sprays, candles, and repellent bracelets can all help keep mosquitoes away.
All of these things will help keep the mosquitoes at bay. Remember to keep up with them every month so that they do not build their numbers back up and come to keep you company.
