The Most Common Questions About Mosquito Control in Minneapolis & Eau Claire

What kind of mosquito control works best?

A professional barrier spray is the most reliable way to reduce mosquitoes in a residential yard. Rather than trying to treat the air, it treats the places adult mosquitoes rest: the perimeter vegetation, the shaded understory, the damp corners. Mosquitoes spend daylight hours in those spots and come out at dusk, so treating them reaches the population that is biting you.

You get a large, obvious reduction in biting pressure within hours of the application drying. What you do not get, from us or anyone, is one hundred percent control. Mosquitoes fly in from neighboring properties, wetlands, and ditches, and any company promising total elimination is selling you something that does not exist.

How often does it need to be reapplied?

About every three weeks. The material degrades with sun, rain, and time, much like the repellent you put on your own skin. More importantly, mosquitoes reproduce continuously through the summer, so there is always a fresh generation of adults emerging that the last treatment never touched.

RainMaster's barrier spray reduces mosquitoes on your property all season long with regular visits every three weeks, six visits total from spring through fall. That covers the whole outdoor season, whether that is your deck in town or a place on the water.

Where do mosquitoes breed and rest?

Mosquitoes need water to lay eggs and they need shade and humidity to survive the day. Direct sun and dry heat kill them quickly through water loss, which is why they stay undercover until dusk.

The resting and breeding areas we target:

• Undersides of plant leaves
• Shady areas
• Damp and low-lying areas
• Under decks
• Under tree canopies
• Wood piles

On the breeding side, the amount of water required is tiny. Some species will use as little as a tablespoon. That is why clogged gutters, a sagging tarp, a forgotten bucket, a wheelbarrow, a kids' toy, or an old tire matters more than a pond does. Dump and refill birdbaths and pet bowls weekly and you have eliminated a nursery.

Is spraying for mosquitoes safe?

Once the application has dried, kids and pets can go back out. We notify you the day before a visit so you can plan around it, and yard treatments do not damage garden plants.

One product choice worth mentioning: we avoid materials that are hard on pollinators, and we treat resting habitat rather than blanketing flowering plants. If you keep a vegetable garden or pollinator planting you want avoided entirely, tell us and we will work around it.

Quick answers on mosquito behavior

Do all mosquitoes bite?

No, only females. They need protein from blood to produce eggs. Males feed on nectar and plant juices.

Do mosquitoes die after they bite?

No. You are thinking of honey bees, which lose the stinger and die. A mosquito keeps biting until she is full, and can bite several times in a night.

Does standing water really attract mosquitoes?

Yes, and very little of it is needed. Females lay eggs in still or stagnant water and even in damp soil, sometimes in no more than a tablespoon of water.

Do bug zappers work on mosquitoes?

Not really. Zappers draw insects with ultraviolet light, which mosquitoes are not strongly attracted to. Mosquitoes track carbon dioxide, body heat, and skin odor. Most of what a zapper kills is harmless or beneficial.

What does professional mosquito control cost?

At RainMaster, professional mosquito control starts at $579 for a season, based on the size of your yard, with regular applications every three weeks.

Tick control is included in that price rather than billed separately, because ticks occupy the same shaded, damp perimeter habitat and the same treatment addresses them. Worth correcting a common belief: ticks do not fall out of trees. They climb to the tips of grass and low brush and wait for a host to brush past. That is exactly the zone a ground-level barrier treatment covers. It is not a substitute for a veterinarian-recommended flea and tick product on your pets. See our mosquito and tick control for details, or check service areas.

What you can do alongside the program

• Clear gutters and keep them clear.
• Walk the yard weekly for anything holding water.
• Mow regularly and clear clippings, since tall grass holds the humidity adults need.
• Thin dense shrub bases and remove leaf litter along the perimeter to cut resting habitat.
• Run a fan on the patio. Mosquitoes are weak fliers and moving air keeps them off you.