It’s the season for summer barbecues, outdoor family time and wild mosquitos – and not just the children. Learn how to use a natural insecticide to keep bugs out of your yard, as well as how to make your yard more attractive to dragonflies, which eat a lot of mosquitoes.
Dragonflies and Mosquitoes
Dragonflies are efficient natural bug exterminators. They can be found buzzing around wet areas with luscious flowers and plenty of other insects. Dragonflies eat up to 15% of their bodyweight in a day by eating just mosquitoes, horseflies, termites, blackflies, and midges.
Christine Cook, an expert landscaper, says that because dragonflies are at the top of insect food chain, they keep an insect population in check. To attract dragonflies to your yard you will need to have appropriate plants!
3 Plants You Can Keep to Attract Dragonflies (And Reduce Mosquitoes!)
1. Fragrant Water Lilies
This is a beautiful aquatic plant that is recognizable by its wide, open flowers. The leaves are uniquely shaped, and the petals are radially symmetrical and tend to be either white or pink in color.
You can grow these aquatic plants in pots right in the water. Choose a shallow spot of a pool, stream or pond and the top of the pot should be about six inches below the surface.
The lilies will bloom above the pads, which are heart-shaped and green. This will be attractive to look at and excellent for attracting dragonflies.
2. Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
Swamp milkweed is also a relation to regular milkweed. However, unlike its relative, it produces white and pink flowers every year which makes it a perennial.
They are great for attracting butterflies and bees, which in turn attracts dragonflies, who then prey on these species.
Swamp milkweed can be found in wet areas and thrives when there’s enough water. It prefers being in full sun.
3. Pickerelweed
Pickerelweed has long and elegant heart-shaped leaves that can grow to be three feet tall. One of the plant’s flowers are small and deep blue, which tend to sprout on a spike.
The blue flowers that grow on this plant typically grow to be about six inches long. They bloom from the bottom up, blooming one after the other.
The flowers and leaves will be above the water with part of the stem stretching below.
The type of plant will bring a summer garden lots of color and is also great for attracting dragonflies.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a natural way to keep mosquitoes away from your home, consider planting some of these dragonfly-attracting plants in your yard. Not only will they help control the mosquito population, but they’ll also add a splash of color and interest to your landscaping. So what are you waiting for? Give these plants a try and enjoy having dragonflies around your home all summer long!
