Warmer weather has returned to Boston, bringing shorts, splash pads, and a dreaded pest: mosquitoes.
“As the season warms up, this is their time to start waking up and getting the job done of making copies and continuing the life cycle,” said Bryan Man, an entomologist, known as Professor Bugman. “As temperatures warm up, we do see that explosion of life.”
Mosquito season starts in the summer and continues through early fall in Massachusetts. Besides being annoying (and making us all itchy), the insects can also carry West Nile virus and Eastern equine encephalitis, which, in rare cases, can cause severe illness or death.
Standing water can serve as mosquito breeding grounds, and all that spring rain has created an appealing habitat for them across Massachusetts, according to Kaitlyn O’Donnell, an entomologist at the Norfolk County Mosquito Control District.
So, what are most effective ways to keep the pests away? We asked the experts.
First, get rid of any standing water
The number-one recommendation is to get rid of standing water around your home, according to O’Donnell. Old flower pots collecting rainwater? Plastic toys and buckets in the kids’ sandbox? Dump that water out and put the stuff away.
Mosquitoes “don’t need very much water at all to breed,” O’Donnell said. “It can be a lot of larva in an overturned bottle cap.”
Jonathan Boyar, owner and principal entomologist at Ecologic Entomology, a Boston pest management company, said mosquitoes can be found in surprising places, including gutters or even an air-conditioning compressor on the roof of a building.
The truth is, even if you turn over the lid to your garbage can, there are tiny ridges and pockets where mosquitoes can breed, so O’Donnell also recommends using Bti, an Environmental Protection Agency-approved pesticide that targets mosquito, blackfly, and fungus gnat larvae in areas where water collects.
Set up a strong fan (or two)
Turns out, mosquitoes are not strong fliers, and a good fan can blow them away, according to O’Donnell. Setting up fans, particularly angled against the wind, can deter mosquitoes from reaching a particular area, she said.
So try a couple of powerful fans on your deck or porch. They could make your outdoor experience this summer much more pleasant (and bug free).
Mosquitoes “really are pretty weak flyers, so just using that to your advantage and playing around with placement to see what works,” O’Donnell said.
Introduce native plants in your yard — and think about getting rid of the lawn
Avoiding a “monoculture” lawn with a single type of grass can also help prevent the pests, said Man, of Westford, who holds bug classes and events through his Professor Bugman Entomology Adventures.
“It comes back to the idea of prevention through disrupting standing-water sources, as well as encouraging the growth of more diverse native spaces, like pollinator gardens,” Man said. “It’s prettier when all the flowers come out. You see beautiful animals like hummingbirds and native insects that you forgot were even here, and even better, it’s easier than lawns.”
Pollinator gardens “take care of themselves,” Man said, and create an ecosystem. When people destroy natural habitats and build their lawns, mosquitoes have “specifically evolved” to take advantage of these spaces and breed within them, he said.
Man’s favorite native plant species is mountain mints, which boast small white flowers, and raspberry and blueberry bushes “for a little treat,” he said. Residents can check the Wild Seed Project to find the best native species to plant in their area.
Repair all your screens
The key to keeping flying bugs out of the house (or enclosed outdoor porch areas) is to repair damaged window or door screens, according to the state’s Department of Public Health.
If you’re handy, purchase a screen repair kit on Amazon or at your local home improvement store and do it yourself. If not, plenty of local hardware stores will do it for you.
Use bug spray ... and avoid peak hours
There is no solution that will completely get rid of mosquitos, experts say, but wearing a proper repellent is helpful. The EPA provides a search tool on its website to find the best one for you. Some should be applied on the skin while others should be used on clothing, O’Donnell said.
The state’s Department of Public Health also recommends wearing long sleeves and long pants, and scheduling outdoor activities to avoid hours from dusk to dawn.
People over 50 or those who are immunocompromised should adjust outdoor activity to avoid peak mosquito hours, according to the City of Boston. Older age is a risk factor for increased susceptibility to West Nile virus, according to a study through the National Institutes of Health.
If you want to use chemicals, find the right pest company
Boyar — whose company takes a “holistic approach” to pest control, including chemical mosquito spraying and nonchemical products and recommendations — said clients should “interview” different pest companies to find the right one for their needs.
Boyar hesitates to recommend one chemical product in particular because every property, location, and scenario differs, but he said he has found that a lot of natural products “really haven’t hit the mark,” he said.
That said, when spraying for mosquitoes with chemicals, pest control companies and towns should work in the early-morning hours before the sun comes up and insects “start getting busy,” he said. They should also avoid spraying on windy days and spraying into flowers in bloom, which would kill pollinators, he said.
“There’s a time and a place for chemicals,” Boyar said. “I’ve never met a homeowner who was against the use of chemicals once they got bedbugs in their bedroom.”
Wait a minute. What about citronella candles and bug zappers?
Although citronella candles smell good, they aren’t particularly effective at keeping mosquitoes at bay. Bug zappers, by contrast, are a bit too effective, killing any insects, even ones we need and want in our yards.
“Those things have a lot of variability in effectiveness,” O’Donnell said, noting citronella has not been effective in repelling mosquitoes in studies. “As far as the traps and zappers, I personally don’t recommend them because the zappers will kill anything, and I’m really focused on trying to eliminate mosquitoes and not other insects that we want to have around.”
Ava Berger can be reached at ava.berger@globe.com. Follow her @Ava_Berger_.