What Are the Best Plants to Keep Mosquitoes Away?

Mosquitoes use their sense of smell to find animals that they can use as hosts. Therefore, strong fragrances can work to naturally deter mosquitoes. Certain plants and herbs are known to work to repel mosquitoes, but only when you extract the oils from them.

It’s important to not rely on plants alone and work with a professional mosquito expert.

Plants That Help Deter Mosquitoes

Certain plant oils work to naturally repel mosquitoes. This means that a small garden with a variety of fragrant plants can help to create mosquito repellents. These plants are:

Citronella. Often called “mosquito plants” on their labels in big-box stores, these are actually just a kind of geranium. Citronella grass is the best plant to extract citronella oil from.
Lavender. Lavender oil is one of the most fragrant plant oils and works to block mosquitoes’ sense of smell.
Marigolds. Marigolds’ scent can deter mosquitoes, aphids, whiteflies, and many other garden pests.
Rosemary, basil & thyme. These are all fragrant herbs that can be planted to keep mosquitoes out of your garden and yard.

Will Mosquitoes Eat Plants?

Mosquitoes don’t actually feed solely on blood. The main part of their diet is actually nectar, and males don’t feed on blood at all. Male mosquitoes feed on nectar, plant sap, and honeydew primarily, and female mosquitoes only feed on blood to prepare their bodies to breed and lay eggs. Just like other garden insects, mosquitoes are sustaining themselves using flowering plants.

What Scents Deter Mosquitoes Well?

One of the biggest mosquito attractants is scent. Female mosquitoes have a keen sense of smell that they use to find carbon dioxide. People and animals produce carbon dioxide when they exhale. Scents and fragrances can repel mosquitoes by distracting them and sending them off course. Perfumes and citronella candles are among the scents that can keep mosquitoes away from you in Knoxville.

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