Yard & pest control
How to get rid of mosquitoes in your yard
Two jobs win the war: eliminate where they breed, and treat where they rest.
Few things ruin a summer evening outdoors faster than mosquitoes. Sprays and citronella candles help for a few minutes, but if you want to actually enjoy your yard, you need to think about where mosquitoes come from and where they hide. The most effective approach combines two jobs: removing the standing water where they breed, and treating the shady spots where adults rest during the day. Do both, and you’ll knock the population down dramatically rather than just swatting at symptoms.
Step one: eliminate standing water (this is free)
Mosquitoes lay eggs in still water, and they can breed in an astonishingly small amount, a bottle cap’s worth is enough. Before you spray anything, walk your yard and dump or remove standing water:
Empty flowerpot saucers, buckets, kids’ toys, and wheelbarrows after rain
Clean out clogged gutters where water pools
Refresh birdbaths and pet water bowls every few days
Fix low spots in the yard that hold water, and keep tarps and covers from collecting puddles
No spray program can keep up with a yard that’s actively breeding new mosquitoes, so this step comes first and costs nothing.
Step two: treat where adult mosquitoes rest
Adult mosquitoes don’t spend the day in open sun, they rest in cool, shady, humid spots: dense shrubs, tall grass, under decks, along fence lines, and in landscape beds. A barrier treatment to these resting areas is what gives you relief, because mosquitoes pick up the insecticide when they land. Agrisel offers two products labeled for this kind of perimeter and landscape mosquito control:
Zone Plus
36.8% Permethrin. A broad-spectrum contact insecticide for perimeter and lawn treatment that controls mosquitoes plus 100+ other pests. Applied as a band around and adjacent to the structure and to landscape resting areas.
Perimeter band 6–10 ft around the structure
Lambda-Cy Pro 9.7 CS
9.7% Lambda-Cyhalothrin in a controlled-release (CS) formulation. Controls 55+ insects including mosquitoes, on lawns, ornamentals, and around buildings, with residual activity that keeps working after application.
Long-lasting perimeter & landscape control
Focus your application on the shady, protected areas where mosquitoes actually rest, rather than blanketing open lawn. Reapply as needed through the season to maintain control, especially after heavy rain.
Important: cat safety
Zone Plus contains permethrin, which is highly toxic to cats. Never apply it directly to cats or in areas where cats may contact treated surfaces before they’ve dried. Keep cats (and other pets) off treated areas until everything is fully dry. This is the single most important safety point with permethrin products, take it seriously if you have or live near cats.
General safety notes
Both products are toxic to bees and to fish and aquatic life, don’t apply when bees are foraging, and keep the products away from ponds, streams, and storm drains. Don’t apply to water or where it could wash into water. Follow the label rate and keep people and pets off treated areas until dry. Always read the full product label before applying.
A simple summer plan
Weekly: walk the yard and dump any standing water, this is the foundation everything else builds on
Early season and as needed: apply a barrier treatment to shady resting areas and the perimeter
After heavy rain: re-check for new standing water and reapply barrier treatment if it’s washed off
Before gatherings: a barrier treatment a day or two ahead gives you the best shot at a bite-free evening
Common questions
What’s the most effective way to control mosquitoes in my yard?
Combine two things: eliminate standing water where mosquitoes breed, and apply a barrier treatment to the shady areas where adults rest. Neither alone is as effective as both together, water removal stops new mosquitoes, and the barrier treatment knocks down the adults already present.
Where do mosquitoes hide during the day?
In cool, shady, humid spots, dense shrubs, tall grass, under decks, along fence lines, and in landscape beds. That’s why a barrier treatment targets those resting areas rather than open, sunny lawn where mosquitoes don’t spend the day.
Is Zone Plus safe around pets?
Zone Plus contains permethrin, which is highly toxic to cats. Never apply it to cats or where cats can contact treated surfaces before drying, and keep all pets off treated areas until fully dry. Used according to the label with those precautions, it’s a widely used perimeter insecticide, but the cat warning is essential to follow.
How often do I need to reapply?
Reapply as needed through mosquito season to maintain control, and especially after heavy rain, which can wash the treatment off. The controlled-release formulation of Lambda-Cy Pro 9.7 CS is designed to extend residual activity between applications. Always follow the label’s directions on timing and maximum applications.
Why do I still have mosquitoes after spraying?
Usually because there’s still standing water breeding new ones, or because the spray missed the shady resting areas. A barrier treatment controls the adults it contacts, but if your yard keeps producing mosquitoes from standing water, you’ll keep seeing them. That’s why water removal is step one.
Do these products only kill mosquitoes?
No, both are broad-spectrum. Zone Plus controls 100+ pests and Lambda-Cy Pro 9.7 CS controls 55+, including ants, ticks, fleas, spiders, and flies. So a yard treatment for mosquitoes also helps with a range of other outdoor nuisance and biting pests.
Ready to reclaim your backyard?
Contact Agrisel to find a reseller carrying Zone Plus and Lambda-Cy Pro 9.7 CS for mosquito control.