BRIDGEHAMPTON, N.Y., May 28, 2017 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- Alternative EarthCare has been providing quality residential and commercial services across Long Island, New York since 1996. Specializing in flea, tick and Long Island mosquito control, traditional lawn services (including aeration and seeding), irrigation system services, tree removal and pruning, and Christmas and holiday light installation, the team of professionals successfully caters to your needs in the least toxic, most organic way possible.

Few pests are as annoying or as prevalent as mosquitoes. They can ruin time outdoors, keep people up all night scratching their bites, and worse, they can transmit dangerous diseases such as the Zika virus and the West Nile virus. Buying mosquito repellant is a start to minimize bites, but it won't reduce the mosquito population. Alternative EarthCare shares four mosquito predators Nassau and Suffolk residents should invite to their property.

  1. Purple martins They may not eat all the mosquitoes, but by inviting birds such as purple martins to the property will certainly help to keep mosquito populations down, especially when combined with other methods of protection. Install a martin house approximately 10 to twenty feet up, on a stand-alone pole. Attaching to a tree allows bird predators such as cats and raccoons to have easy access.  Purple martins prefer clear take-off zones, so their house should be the tallest structure within a sixty-foot radius. Purple martin houses should also be in fairly close proximity to homes and a water source. These birds enjoy the security of people nearby to ward off their predators.
  2. Bats Bats can consume up to 1,000 mosquitoes per hour, and since mosquitoes and bats tend to be at their peak activity at the same time of day, bats can be an effective means of minimizing mosquito populations. Installing a bat house on the property will help to keep mosquitoes at bay. As an added benefit, bat guano is a fabulous fertilizer, so installing a bat house near a garden can help with growth and vitality.
  3. Dragonflies Dragonflies are not only nice to look at, but they also eat up annoying mosquitoes. If there is water on the property, such as a pond, dragonflies are especially beneficial as both mosquitoes as well as dragonflies thrive in and around water. Mosquitoes commonly lay their larvae in bodies of standing water and dragonflies voraciously eat those larvae. Plant cattails and grassy foliage near water and if there is no water on the property, attract dragonflies with flowers such as black-eyed Susan, Joe-pye weed, and swamp milkweed.
  4. Professional exterminators As always, the greatest predators are humans. While predators such as birds, bats, and larger insects may help to minimize mosquitoes, those efforts won't compare to professional property sprays. The best way to minimize mosquito populations on properties is by having professional property treatments. Ensure consistent professional property treatments every three to four weeks throughout the season. Emergency spray treatments can also be obtained when a large outdoor gathering is coming up. Synthetic or organic spray solutions are the best means of protecting yourself, family, friends, and pets, from potentially dangerous mosquito bites.

Serving both Suffolk and Nassau County, including the East End and the Hamptons, Alternative EarthCare mosquito control Long Island offers a variety of organic, non-toxic lawn care services for your home or business. In addition to beautifying and maintaining properties, the award-winning staff is also dedicated to the safety and health of their customers.

Media Contact: Scott Darrohn, fishbat, 855-347-4228, press@fishbat.com

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SOURCE Alternative Earthcare