Mosquito Control in Downers Grove, IL

Why Your Yard Has So Many Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes need three things: water to breed, shade to rest and people or animals to bite. Many Downers Grove yards have all three.

• Shade. Trees, thick shrubs, ivy and tall grass keep the air cool and damp, which is where adult mosquitoes rest during the day
• Standing water. Mosquitoes can lay eggs in a tiny amount of water and need only about a week to grow from egg to adult
• Wet weather. Spring and summer rain leaves puddles and full gutters that turn into breeding spots
• Wooded lots and low areas. Yards that back onto trees or have low spots that stay wet after storms are more likely to have problems

The Mosquitoes You May Meet

Northern house mosquitoes. Common around homes and active at dusk and after dark. They breed in stagnant water such as clogged gutters, birdbaths and storm drains. This is the type most linked to West Nile virus in Illinois.

Floodwater mosquitoes. They hatch in large numbers after heavy rain and can quickly fill a yard.

Asian tiger mosquitoes. Small, black with white stripes, and they bite during the day. They lay eggs in very small containers, like bottle caps and plant saucers, and can be found in parts of Illinois.

Health agencies in the Chicago area track West Nile virus in mosquitoes each summer. Most people who catch it have mild symptoms or none, but it can be serious for some. Cutting down mosquitoes around your home lowers your chance of being bitten.

Where Mosquitoes Breed Around Homes

Check these spots every week:

• Clogged gutters and downspout extenders
• Birdbaths, pet bowls and kiddie pools
• Buckets, wheelbarrows, tarps and toys that collect water
• Flower pot saucers and planters
• Old tires and containers
• Low spots in the lawn and around drains
• Window wells and corrugated drain pipes
• Tree stumps and holes that hold rainwater
• Clogged sump pump drains and rain barrels without covers

Even a bottle cap of water is enough for some mosquitoes.

How We Treat Your Yard for Mosquitoes

1. Yard inspection. We walk your property to find shady resting areas and water sources that breed mosquitoes.

2. Treat resting areas. We apply a treatment to the shrubs, tall grass, ivy, fence lines, low branches and other shady spots where adult mosquitoes rest. This reduces the mosquitoes that would bite you.

3. Deal with standing water. Where water cannot be removed, we can treat it so mosquito larvae do not become adults. We also show you what to dump or fix.

4. Repeat through the season. Mosquitoes keep hatching all season, and treatments wear off over several weeks. Regular visits from late spring through early fall keep numbers down.

What You Can Do

• Dump standing water at least once a week
• Clean gutters and make sure they drain
• Cover rain barrels with fine mesh
• Fill low spots in the lawn
• Trim shrubs and thin thick vegetation near the patio
• Fix window and door screens
• Use a fan on the patio, since mosquitoes are weak fliers
• Wear light colored long sleeves at dusk and use an insect repellent registered with the EPA

When Mosquito Season Runs

In Illinois, mosquitoes start to appear in late spring when temperatures warm up and are heaviest from summer into early fall. Rainy weeks can cause sudden spikes. Starting treatments early in the season helps keep numbers low before they climb. May through July is usually the wettest period, and regional summer humidity around 65–75% helps shaded resting areas stay damp.

Mosquito Control Across Downers Grove

We treat yards in Downers Grove, including ZIP codes 60515 and 60516, and in nearby towns such as Lisle, Woodridge, Westmont and Darien.