KINGWOOD, Texas – Summer is winding down but we all know it's not the end of mosquito season. An increasingly popular device is making it easier for homeowners to handle those pesky, biting insects that make you itch all over.
With all the rain we've had during this recent stretch of stormy, hot and humid weather, mosquitoes are just about everywhere. Everywhere except one backyard in Kingwood. The homeowners have been essentially mosquito-free for two years since installing a mosquito control system.
"Tomorrow night's my son's birthday party, we're having a pool party," said Deanne Weed. "We couldn't have done that two years ago, especially after the rain and everything."
The system used by the Weed family employs a drum to mix a concentrated, natural solution of crushed chrysanthemum flowers called pyrethrum. It then sends out the solution through a series of discreetly placed misters set up throughout a property.
"The system will get to where the mosquitoes live at, where they lay their eggs at," said Josh Perez, of Houston Mosquito Control Systems. "The product that it puts out is a high pressure mist that flushes them out, so you're interrupting their breeding cycle."
The system deploys at dusk and dawn, and also after midnight during the height of mosquito season. It doesn't just work to keep mosquitoes at bay. It also repels all other flying and biting insects, which works for families hoping to enjoy their backyard.
"I can sit out here for as long as I want and not have to worry about getting eaten up by mosquitoes," said Weed. "I haven't noticed having any mosquito bites since we've had the system."
The systems primarily run from March to November and typically start at $1,900 to install. The price depends on the size of the property, the yard design and the amount of foliage.