Mosquito Control in St. Louis: How to Take Your Yard Back This Season

Mosquito season in St. Louis runs from spring into fall, and the fix isn't one big spray. It's treating the shady spots where adult mosquitoes rest, getting rid of the water where they breed, and staying on a schedule from mid-April to mid-October. Do those three things and most yards go from unusable at dusk to a place you actually want to sit.

When mosquito season starts in St. Louis

The first mosquitoes show up in April, once nights stay around 50 degrees and there's standing water around. Numbers climb through June and peak after summer storms. The season winds down with the first hard freeze in October.

That's why we start yard treatments in early to mid-April. Starting in June means you've already given them a head start, and May is full of bites.

The mosquitoes in your yard

Asian tiger mosquitoes are the black-and-white striped ones that bite during the day. They breed in tiny amounts of water: a bottle cap, a plant saucer, a clogged gutter.

House mosquitoes are plain brown and most active at dusk. They're the ones that can carry West Nile virus.

Floodwater mosquitoes hatch in huge numbers after heavy rain, especially in low ground near the Meramec and Missouri rivers.

What actually works

Treat where they rest. Adult mosquitoes spend the day in shade: shrubs, ground cover, under decks and along fence lines. That's where a yard treatment goes, not the middle of a sunny lawn.

Get rid of the water. Once a week, tip and toss anything holding water: buckets, toys, tarps, planter saucers, birdbaths and kiddie pools. Clean the gutters. Anything that holds water for a week can become a mosquito nursery.

Stay on a schedule. Treatments hold for about three weeks, so we come back about every 21 days through the season. That's roughly nine treatments from mid-April to mid-October. The biggest drop usually comes after the first two or three.

What doesn't work

• Citronella candles only help in a small circle around the flame.
• Bug zappers mostly kill harmless insects, not the mosquitoes biting you.
• Store-bought foggers last hours, not weeks, and don't reach where mosquitoes rest.
• One treatment before a party helps that weekend, then the next wave hatches.

Ticks and chiggers come with it

The same visits treat ticks and chiggers. Ticks wait in tall grass, wooded edges and leaf litter, especially where deer cross the yard. If your yard backs to woods in Wildwood, Eureka, Chesterfield or High Ridge, that's usually the bigger reason to treat.

What about bees and my garden?

We treat shrubs, ground cover and shady resting areas, and work around flower beds, vegetable gardens, ponds and hives. Tell your tech what's in the yard and we'll plan around it. Keep kids and pets off treated areas until they're dry, usually about 30 minutes.

What it costs

Yard treatments are priced by the size of your yard:

• Small yards: $65 per treatment
• Most yards: about $75
• Big yards: up to $95
• On our quarterly Home Shield plan: most yards drop to $65

You're billed after each visit, and there's no contract. See Mosquito & Tick for how the program works, or mosquito control for more on the mosquitoes themselves.

Frequently asked questions

When is mosquito season in St. Louis?

Mosquitoes are active from spring into fall. We treat from mid-April to mid-October, about every three weeks.

How often do you treat for mosquitoes?

About every 21 days during the season, which works out to roughly nine treatments a year.

Does mosquito treatment really work?

Yes. Treating resting areas and staying consistent cuts mosquito numbers a lot. Yards near woods or water carry more pressure, so staying on schedule matters.

Does it cover ticks too?

Yes. The same visits treat ticks and chiggers.

How much does mosquito control cost in St. Louis?

Treatments run $65 to $95 depending on yard size. Most yards are about $75, and most drop to $65 when you're also on Home Shield.

Ready to take the yard back? Get a free quote or call (314) 912-2929.