Outdoor Fly & Mosquito Control – More than 1 Unique Suggestion!

Last Updated on January 27, 2024 by Jeremy

Don’t you just hate when you’re sitting by the fire, and your best burning firewood isn’t putting out enough aroma to deter those pesky biting insects? There has to be other outdoor fly & mosquito control solutions out there that work, right?

Look no further, as I will go through a list of suggestions that guarantee less swatting, and less wasting of money on products that simply don’t last.

I will give you below in this article more than 1 unique suggestion that is recommended to work, as being the best products ever made.

Without hesitation, let’s dive right into these suggestions!

PLANTS

Yup, of all things to start off this list, one of the easiest solutions to control flies and mosquitoes are plants. Not just any plant however, but specific plants that are more common than you think. These 9 plants below are the best for deterring these insects.

Lavender

When these flowers are grouped together and in full sun, the smell of lavender deters mosquitoes and other insects far away. They are most common in gardens and near entrances to your home, to rid these pesky critters further than they need to be.

Why lavender works so well, is that it contains up to 25% linalool. This linalool oil repels female mosquitoes by 58%, and kills three times more the mosquitoes after 24 hrs exposure.

In essence, to control the mosquito and fly population using lavender, plant lots of these plants together, and in areas where you will essentially notice a difference.

Basil

While Basil is most commonly used in cooking as a herb, in making things such as Pesto, it can also be a useful deterrent for mosquito larvae, as it is naturally toxic.

Planting this plant near a water source, in bunches in well-drained soil, and in full sun, can give off an aroma that mosquitoes hate. Not only that, it also controls and repels those annoying flies.

Mint

Last summer in one of the Shuswap Lake campgrounds, we experienced a spot where there were mosquitoes in full force. Nowhere was safe without the sound of buzzing overhead, or swallowing a few unwanted wings. It wasn’t until there was a slight notability in one of the yards we were in, that the insect level was rather low.

Blooming in front of the dwelling was a rather large section of wild mint. This makes sense now, as mint leaves are a key factor in deterring mosquitoes. When crushing these leaves, it emits an oil that these insects dislike, so in doing so, even rubbing some along your skin should benefit.

Chrysanthemums

Hard to say and harder to spell are chrysanthemums, which are flowering plants that are native to northeastern Europe as well as East Asia.

Inside of these flowers are what is called pyrethrum which is an extract used to repel biting insects. Essentially, it is a natural pesticide aiding in ridding those itchy critters, so plant many, and be sure leave the bees alone when they come to nectar these particular flowers because some bees are increasingly deprived of pyrethrum.

Lemongrass

Many citrus sources are a great fly and mosquito control source, so having lemongrass and even lemon balm available are a good thing. Lemongrass provides extremely similar repelling effects as lemon balm because its high concentration is also highly toxic to mosquitoes and larvae.

Coincidentally, citronella oils come from lemongrass and we all know how well citronella oils perform for mosquitoes. To get the full effects of this plant to work, as it can’t be done just by planting it on its own, so use lemongrass as not just a plant to deter them, but turn some of it into a spray, or combine the citronella oils with other natural oils to effectively create the ultimate destructive repellent.

Allium

What is most commonly seen on the tops of planted onions and garlic, allium is considered a special breed of plant in which mosquitoes detest the aroma of.

Planting onions and garlic in the fall, will produce vibrant looking purple colored flowers that repel not only mosquitoes, but mammals such as deer and squirrels.

What you may have noticed in certain store locations are garlic oil mosquito liquids. These have been derived from the allium plant itself, and is meant to be sprayed as an insecticide. You will notice a significant reduction in biting bugs from the use of it.

Sage

Here’s an outdoor fly & mosquito control solution in the form of this other common cooking plant, sage. This specific plant has up to 32% protection from these blood-sucking biters.

Although there is no scientific proof to back these claims up, planting sage, and extracting the oils from this plant can have up to approximately 60% efficiency of repelling these insects, as well as other biting bugs.

Catnip

Known mostly as a cat’s favorite dream, catnip has a unique quality that is also very effective with mosquitoes, and making them buzz off.

“The active component of catnip (Nepeta cataria) repels insects by triggering a chemical receptor that spurs sensations such as pain or itch, researchers report March 4 in Current Biology”. – According to sciencenews.org

What this means is that if you were to take your hand and cover it with catnip, a mosquito and fruit flies for that matter, will less likely be interested in you from their senses, but your kitty-cat friend will love you forever.

Rosemary

Another useful plant in controlling these bugs outdoors is rosemary, but not in the way you think.

Hanging around a campsite, cooking a steak on your campchef flattop grill, you may have noticed that having a few sprigs of rosemary nearby is a good thing. Simply throw it on the grill and the aroma and smoke will repel those nasty biters away.

Having it as an effective use as an essential oil on the other hand, won’t do anything drastic to these critters, so stick to what works best.

TRAPS, CATCHERS or ZAPPERS

The next useful fly & mosquito control devices most effective are that of a trap, catcher or a zapper. These types of products are designed more for the kill, than repel or deter. Elimination of mosquitoes and flies, and their larvae are critical in eliminating future health issues of humans when bitten by these types of insects, and doing so without spraying chemicals is more environmentally friendly.

Starting with traps, they come in various setups, and one of the most intriguing one is that of which uses propane.

Mosquito Magnet Patriot Plus

The Patriot Plus mosquito trap built by Mosquito Magnet, is a product, as mentioned, that uses propane. The trap emits carbon dioxide, heat and moisture to attract these insects, with an area of 1 acre of coverage.

Not as natural as the above mentioned plants, plugging this outdoor bug control device in will see you results within 7-10 days, as it has an odorless trap that continuously breaks down mosquito breeding cycles, and suck in the mosquitoes with a vacuum.

It’s best outdoor places for use are:

• -Yards, Lawns & Gardens
• -Pub & Restaurant Patios
• -Wedding Venues
• -Work Areas
• -Resorts & Hotels
• -Campgrounds
• -Schools & Daycares
• -Car Dealerships
• -Beaches

Keeping this device 30-40 feet away from human contact, and in the shade, this unit will be sure to eliminate all forms of mosquitoes, black flies, midges, and even no-see-ums. (Yes, the ones you can still see) 🙂

Unlike plants which you should probably purchase from a local garden center, this insect mosquito magnet is available at local hardware stores, and even Amazon.

Flowtron BK-15D

Here’s a device that is not only eco-friendly, but also another workhorse in ridding “skeeters”, flies and other annoying insects.

Utilizing a 15-watt UV light, the bright blue glow will trap these insects into oblivion up to 1/2 acre away.

Meant not to be used up to 25 feet of its intended usage area, this zapper is highly effective, very affordable, and weather-proof.

Not only that, if you don’t like the small coverage of this model, you could always upgrade to its bigger cousin, the BK-80D which extends its range to 1.5 acres. However, I feel that this product is sufficient to completely eliminate any type of flying insects that birds, bats, frogs or spiders will miss in the area you are around.

Homemade Version

Yes, there are even effective homemade outdoor mosquito & fly control devices to use and as such makes this option very affordable for the average person.

With most people looking for alternatives, here’s a way that does not require to make any purchases, can use most of your household supplies, and may not get the coverage as the above suggestions, but will still get coverage regardless.

Perhaps you have seen this at some point and wondered, “what is that“?

There are literally 3 recipes you can utilize for this method of insect trap/catcher, and they are as follows:

1) Vinegar, Sugar, Banana Peels, Water – Simply mix the ingredients of about 1/2 cup of vinegar and sugar with water and 1 to 2 banana peels inside of 2L pop bottle, cut similarly to this. What you’ll find is many flying insects are attracted to this aroma including mosquitoes and yellow jackets.

2) Brown Sugar, Pkg of Yeast, Water – By boiling down the brown sugar and adding in a package of yeast, this homemade trap catches mosquitoes very easily, using carbon dioxide as its attractant. The downside is you won’t catch many, unless you have a lot of these traps made.

3) Beer & Dishsoap – This homemade version of a trap takes the alcohol content of beer, which apparently flies love, and attracts them to a liquid dishsoap. The dishsoap adheres to the insects wings which make them incapable of flying, and then they drown in the beer.

Of course there are other ingredients you can play around with such as the usage of the plants mentioned above, and some version of citrus like a lemon or lime. These types of traps are made to play around with to outsource which one works best for you.

Fly Bags & Sticky Traps

What a better way to wrap up this category with more cheap alternatives of eliminating flies, gnats, mosquitoes and other flying insects.

Fly bags are useful in attracting those annoying pests when they are strung up hanging around your campsite or other area you plan to be at for some time. What is a plastic bag with a yellow entry lid, the bugs go into the non-toxic bait, and don’t come out.

Alternatively, sticky traps or fly ribbon as some people may call it, is another control device that attracts insects based upon its color and scent. What may come in a small tube, in which the bottom is removed and the ribbon stretched out, flies seem to find these things no matter where you hang them from.

The other style of these come in forms of 8-1/2″ x 11″ yellow sticky glue traps, in which can be cut to size in order to use in your designated areas. They can even last after a rain, making it one of the best insect catchers to come across.

CANDLES

Approaching a more scent styled approach to deterring flies, mosquitoes and other useless insects, is that of candles, specifically citronella.

Of all of these available products, there are a select few that I’ve found to do the trick, but only on non-windy days of course.

Coleman Outdoor Citronella Candle

Designed for outdoor usage around a campsite, backyard, or picnic area, is Coleman’s version of a citronella candle that comes available in a 6oz tin box.

Using citronella oil from lemongrass as there main ingredient, the candle sports some interesting scents as Coleman seems to have managed to make it smell like campfire, pine, and even s’mores.

At a reasonable price online, it creates 25hrs of ambiance with its wooden crackle wick as well as deter those ankle biters we all love to hate.

TIKI BiteFighter Citronella Bucket

In a slightly larger container, is the Tiki brand, 17oz candle bucket. It’s design burns up to 35 hours of burn time and guarantees mosquito repellency.

When this product arrives, it may seem as if you don’t get a lot of product, but that’s because the flame burns quite high.

Therefore the was in this product is only filled slightly over half full. That said, when lit and used for the purpose of controlling those mosquitoes, this one does the trick!

Perfect for an outdoor deck or patio, around a campsite or picnic area, be sure you have one of these burning to keep those pesky pests away.

Homemade Version

When mosquitoes come out, its usually got to be 80 degrees Fahrenheit before they swarm you, so having any of these candles above are a good thing. The heat of the flame draws them in, so on a more natural, cheaper version of candle, this should easily work the same to deter these insects.

Take the following:

• -Lemon – sliced
• -Lime – sliced
• -Rosemary – 2 to 3 sprigs
• -Water
• -Eucalyptus Oil
• -Candle Wick

In a glass jar, put lemons and limes sliced inside, along with the rosemary. Fill it up with water, and add a splash of eucalyptus oil on top. The candle wick should be attached to a plastic burning tab of sorts and placed on top. The candle will burn a nice scent, and control those bugs just the same.

Coffee Grounds

Although not labeled as a candle, you can easily turn this into one. Incomparable to that of a citronella oil smell, coffee grounds, believe it or not (when saved and dried out) provide a natural repellent when burned.

Just light up the grounds as you would incense, and voila, watch those mosquitoes disappear. Sure there might not be any solid proof that this works, but you’re not out-of-pocket any money, and you never know until you try. You might be as surprised as I was.

SPRAYS & REPELLENTS

Finishing off these suggestions with sprays and repellents, I want to give you the best suggestions to guarantee deterred and repelled bugs for total control.

We all know how DEET was the ultimate “bug juice” out there, and how hard it is to come by especially in the Canadian market, as its been barred since 2002. But its not uncommon to find it, especially online.

Below are my remaining suggestions in the full 100% DEET, 20-30% DEET, DEET FREE and all natural product sprays plus repellents.

BEN’s 30 & BEN’s 100

Killing two mosquitoes with one squirt, I want to start off with this brand that is becoming more and more popular, Ben’s.

Ben’s 30 – offers 8 or more hours of protection with the CDC recommended DEET levels of 30% against flies, gnats and other biting insects.

Available in a smaller container than you’d expect, this 1.25 oz spray pump action repellent gets applied by squirting a minimal amount in your hands then applying it to the exposed skin areas.

Personally, I found this product to outlast and outperform the more common brands of DEEP WOODS OFF, and MUSKOL. The downside was its size, and we found with mosquitoes in full force, you needed to apply more than recommended. That didn’t discount the fact this product didn’t work.

Available from Amazon, big box stores, and pharmacies or hardware stores, Ben’s 30 is recommended in controlling the insects that annoy you.

Ben’s 100 – was the first 100% DEET product in the country to be registered with the EPA in the USA, where its made. The 3.4 ounce spray pump offers 10 or more hours of protection against mosquitoes, black flies, deer flies and other disease carrying insects.

Currently, there is no availability for purchase on Amazon.com, and they do now know when it will become available, so I will not be linking to this product.

Other notable mentions for 100% DEET bug sprays is Coleman 100, and Sawyer Premium Maxi. Both of these listings are also unavailable, so its best to scoop it up when its available because in my opinion, 100% DEET, although oily, is still the best mosquito repellent out there.

Mosquito Shield – PiActive DEET Free

For those that disagree with 100% DEET, the best DEET free spray comes in the form of PiActive from Mosquito Shield.

Guaranteeing a 12+ hours protection level against ticks and mosquitoes, and only 10 hours against flies, this product is perfect for adults and children leaving no oily, sticky or greasy residues upon completion of application.

Available in 175 milliliters from Amazon, its the perfect solution for mosquito & fly control.

Another interesting feature is that each bottle comes with a compass attached to its lid, plus a slit where you can attach it to that of a backpack or a carabiner.

Now not only will you have the direction the mosquitoes are coming from, you’ll know which way to spray in the event of a slight breeze. 🙂

Homemade Spray

Here’s an interesting control spray for bugs, that can double as a household cleaner. Take the following ingredients:

• -1/2 Cup of Vinegar
• -2Tbsp of Cloves
• -2 Bayleaves
• -Glass of Water

Boil this down and add it to a spray bottle. Use it as a cleaner, and you won’t get any mosquitoes or flies inside anymore.

Now for the outdoor version – Take a mosquito coil and break it down, some alcohol and cloves. Let it dilute then add it to a spray bottle, you’ll get the same effect for these insects.

THERMACELL E55 & MR300 Mosquito Repellent

Finally a product that I can honestly say is my favorite. If you want total control of mosquitoes & flies, and all other pesky insects, then let me introduce to you this device, the rechargeable mosquito repeller by Thermacell.

This little unit heats and activates a scent-free, invisible repellent, to protect a 20-foot zone against mosquitoes.

Rechargeable and long-lasting (up to 5-1/2 hours), the Thermacell mosquito repeller is effective, as well as user-friendly. Just push a button, here the beep, and watch the bugs disappear.

What includes 1 rechargeable E55 repeller with a built in Lithium-ion rechargeable battery, you get one 12-hour refill cartridge and USB charging cables with each package. When complete, available for purchase are replacement refills that last either 40 or 80 hours.

Definitely, my #1 recommendation (besides plants) to rid the buzzing sounds around your head at all times.

Note: Thermacell does make a portable version of this repeller that eliminates these bugs up to 15 feet away. It comes with one fuel cartridge that lasts 48 hours, while the repeller itself lasts up to 12. This is the MR300 product labeled in the title.

To purchase? Any hardware store or through this direct link –> THERMACELL

CONCLUSION

Nearing the end, I want to recap all of these amazing suggestions that essentially rid you of bugs so that you can enjoy the outdoors how they were meant to be.

We discovered that plants have an all natural approach to deter and repel mosquitoes and flies, plus ticks and other little annoyances, all the while attracting bees which are good for the environment.

Also discovered were high quality, non-toxic alternatives to kill these flying insects through products like zappers, traps, and catchers.

Another alternative for the control was that of candles, followed up with sprays and repellents. Basically leaving us bug free!

However there is one more mention I need to make here. Although citronella, DEET, smoke, lemon eucalyptus, lavender and tea tree oils are considered deterrents, and although zappers and spraying chemicals actually kill these bugs, we should also note that nature plays an important role in the control of these insects as well.

We shouldn’t forget the likes of ornamental fish, lizards, geckos, dragonflies, frogs, spiders and bats to do their jobs just the same. In doing so, we can most inclusively say to these bugs…

I hope you have the knowledge in knowing what to search for the next time you feel under attack. If not, take cover and leave me a comment below.

Cheers!