9 Questions to Ask a Mosquito Control Company in Minneapolis

1. How do you get rid of mosquitoes?

The answer you want: by targeting them where they rest and breed. Adult mosquitoes do not hover over open lawn during the day; they sit on cool, shaded, humid surfaces and come out to feed at dusk. A barrier treatment puts product on those resting surfaces so mosquitoes contact it when they land. A company that describes fogging the whole yard, or that cannot explain where mosquitoes spend the day, is guessing.

2. Where will you spray for mosquitoes?

The answer you want: the perimeter of the yard and the specific harborage inside it:

• The undersides of plant leaves
• Shaded areas and bed interiors
• Wet areas and low spots that hold water
• Under decks and porches
• Low tree limbs and dense shrubs
• Wood piles

Ask them to walk the property with you and point at the spots. If they will not, they have not looked.

3. How often will you treat my yard?

The answer you want: every three weeks through the season, roughly six visits from spring through fall. Two things set that interval. The barrier breaks down under sun, rain, and irrigation, and new leaf growth after a treatment is untreated surface. Meanwhile mosquitoes keep reproducing, so there is always a fresh batch. A single visit in June does nothing for your Fourth of July cookout.

4. Does mosquito control work right away?

The answer you want: yes. You should see a large reduction the same day, and the yard is usable as soon as treated areas are dry, which is generally about 30 minutes. If a company says results take a few weeks to show up, ask what they are actually applying.

5. Does your mosquito spray reduce ticks, too?

The answer you want: yes. The same barrier treatment, applied to the same shaded harborage, reduces ticks along with mosquitoes, which matters here because blacklegged ticks are present in wooded edges, tall grass, and leaf litter across Wisconsin and Minnesota. You should not have to buy two separate programs to cover both pests. Yard treatment does not replace the tick prevention your veterinarian prescribes for a dog.

6. Is it safe for my pets and kids?

The answer you want: yes, with simple handling rules. Keep pets and children inside during the application and until treated foliage is dry, about 30 minutes. Bring in water bowls, toys, and outdoor bedding first. Tell them in advance about a vegetable garden, a fish pond, beehives, or backyard chickens so those areas are worked around.

While you are on the subject, ask whether their applicators are licensed. Commercial applicators are licensed by the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection in Wisconsin and the Department of Agriculture in Minnesota. Ask for proof of license and insurance. A real company hands it over without a fuss.

7. Will I know when you are coming?

The answer you want: yes, automatically. At RainMaster you get automatic scheduling, so you are not calling to book each visit, and you get an email or text the day before so you can put the dog inside and pick up the yard. Then we show up. The companies that make you chase them for an appointment are the ones that quietly skip visits.

8. What about mosquito treatment pricing?

The answer you want: a clear number up front, not a sales visit. Some companies in Minneapolis and Eau Claire make you call the office to get any pricing at all. RainMaster publishes upfront pricing. Also ask what a season includes, how many visits, whether partial-season starts are prorated, and what happens if a visit lands right before a heavy rain.

9. How well does the spray work?

The answer you want: honest numbers, not a guarantee. Be skeptical of any mosquito control company that promises to completely rid your yard of mosquitoes. We call our service mosquito reduction for a reason. An open yard is not a sealed room, and mosquitoes fly in from the neighbor's property, the ditch, the creek, and the woods at the back of the lot. You absolutely will see a large reduction in mosquitoes and ticks. You will not see zero.

One more question, this one for you

Have you read their Google reviews? Not the star rating, the actual text. Look for what customers say about communication, whether visits happened on schedule, and how the company handled a problem. A company that has made a lot of neighbors happy will probably make you happy too.

It is also worth asking whether the company does anything else on your property. If the same crew handles your lawn care and irrigation, problems that cross over, such as a leaking head keeping a shaded bed wet enough to breed mosquitoes, get caught instead of debated.

What you should do between visits

No treatment program compensates for standing water on the property. Treatment kills adults; water makes new ones in a matter of days during warm weather.

• Walk the yard weekly and dump anything holding water. Buckets, tarps, wheelbarrows, planter saucers, kiddie pools, tire swings, and the low spot at the end of a downspout.
• Clean the gutters. A clogged gutter is one of the most reliable mosquito factories on a house, and nobody ever looks at it.
• Change birdbath and pet water every few days. That is enough to interrupt the cycle.
• Thin dense shade at the yard edge. Less humid harborage means fewer places for adults to rest during the day.

Ready to stop swatting? Request a quote or call 888-839-8484 and we will get your property on the mosquito and tick reduction schedule.