Mosquito misting systems are one of the better-kept secrets in the world of pest control. Everyone has heard of misting systems for cooling your yard, patio, swimming deck, and other outside areas during the summer but the concept of a mosquito misting system is news to many people.
These systems spray a water and pesticide mixture at predetermined intervals to repel and kill mosquitoes. Done properly, these systems are surprisingly effective.
So, are you looking for the best mosquito misting systems for your yard? Great, you’re in the right place!
In this guide you’ll learn:
- What are mosquito misting systems and how do they work?
- Are mosquito misting systems safe for pets and children?
- How do you properly use a mosquito misting system?
Ed has been working in the pest control industry for years helping 1,000's of homeowners navigate the world of insect and rodent management. He manages Pest Strategies now helping homeowners around the world!
Best Overall
Best Service
Pynamite Cube PRO Mosquito Misting System
Features
- No ugly drum
- Stainless steel nozzles
- Expandable to 80 nozzles
Invatech Italia Mosquito Mister
Features
- Powerful 4.3 HP motor
- Can reach over 32 feet, vertical
- Large tank
Pynamite Mosquito Misting System
Features
- Ideal for outdoor mosquito control
- Easy to install
- High-quality parts resist corrosion and degradation
MistyMate Cool Patio Deluxe Outdoor Misting Kit (DIY)
Features
- Under $100
- Mostly preassembled
- No electrical hazard
Gesentur Misting Cooling System (DIY)
Features
- Under $50
- Preassembled
- No electrical hazard
theBlueStone DIY Misting System Kit (DIY)
Features
- Under $20
- No electrical hazard
- All plastic
Table Of Contents
Top 8 Best Mosquito Misting Systems
What Are Mosquito Misting Systems?
As noted earlier, the EPA defines a mosquito misting system as a series of nozzles and tubes for dispensing a pesticide-laced mist to kill mosquitoes in your yard, on your patio, or any other outside location.
How Do Mosquito Misting Systems Work?
Misting systems work to kill mosquitoes, gnats, and other flying insects much like foggers, but whereas foggers create a one-time cloud of pesticide in an enclosed space, misters work continuously to kill or repel bugs from an outside area.
Mosquito misters require nozzles, usually made of stainless steel, spaced along a length of rubber or plastic tubing that is strung around the perimeter of your house, patio, garden, yard, or outside area that you want to keep free of mosquitoes.
A pump, run by a small electric motor, siphons a pesticide or repellent mixture out of a tank and forces it into the tubing. The nozzles, which can be set to different types of mist, spray out the pesticide to kill adult mosquitoes that carry diseases such as the West Nile virus.
An automatic misting system should be equipped with a timer to turn the mister on and off. Most of them have adjustable time lengths for how long the system will spray each time it engages.
How Do You Find The Best Mosquito Misting System?
Mosquito misting systems are not currently regulated by the EPA. For regulatory purposes, misting systems are considered “application equipment”, which is outside of the EPA’s jurisdiction and no other agency has stepped up to regulate them.
Misting systems are still comparatively recent innovations for home use and the available data on them is scarce. We’ve gone through the ones that are on the market and analyzed them so we can present to you what we think are the best mosquito misters.
Are Mosquito Misting Systems Effective?
The physical equipment is very effective at spraying a fine mist across your garden, patio, yard, etc. The real question is, do they kill mosquitoes?
Yes – if you use the correct pesticide in the misters.
The EPA has published a list of botanical oils that are considered safe in mosquito misters, but pyrethrums are also safe to use in them. Pyrethrum is an extract from chrysanthemum flowers and their relatives. In its purified form it is called pyrethrins.
Pyrethrins and pyrethroids are different. Whereas pyrethrins are the purified version of pyrethrum, pyrethroids are a synthetic, man-made version of pyrethrins. Many modern pesticides use pyrethroids because they are easier and cheaper to obtain than pyrethrins.
Pyrethroids are not labeled by the EPA to be used in misting systems, but pyrethrins, sometimes known as botanical pyrethrins or botanical pesticides, are allowed. However, one pyrethroid, permetherin, is labeled to be used in some instances.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is another natural ingredient that is often used in pesticides.
Here are the pesticides you can use in a mosquito misting system:
- MGK Riptide Water Based ULV 1/2 gallon (Pyrethrins)
- Sector Mosquito Misting System Refill 1 Gallon (Permetherin)
- Mosquito Magician Natural Mosquito Killer 1 Gallon (Essential Oils)
- Naprovit Pro Plus Natural Misting Solutions (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate – 8.0%)
How To Use A Mosquito Misting System
Most misting systems have a timer that allows you to set the time when the mister is operational. You may not want a mosquito mist coming down on you even if it safe, so you’ll need to set the timer to spray mist when no one is in the affected area.
For the best results, the mister should spray a fine mist at least three times a day, especially during the hours when mosquitoes are most active, usually at twilight and at night. During those hours, setting the timer to spray every hour would be a good idea.
Many misters also have programmable settings for how long the system will spray each time, usually counted in seconds. Most systems have settings between 1-180 seconds (3 minutes). For most mosquito populations, 90 seconds should be enough.
If you have an unusually severe mosquito problem, increase the length of time and/or the frequency of spraying until the problem diminishes.
Read More: How to Get Rid of Mosquitoes
Are Mosquito Misting Systems Safe Around My Pets And Children?
The only correct answer is yes and no.
Yes, according to the EPA they are safe around pets, children, and livestock. The amount of pesticide in each spray is minimal and very unlikely to do any harm, especially if the active ingredients are pyrethrins, essential oils, or sodium lauryl sulfate.
No, pesticides are not safe for fish, especially pyrethroids. Pyrethroids are extremely toxic to fish. Furthermore, any misting system will be harmful to beneficial insects, especially flying insects such as wasps and honey bees.
Pest management practices and regulations vary from state to state and are not ultimately decided by the Environmental Protection Agency alone. Homeowners in Bakersfield, CA, will be allowed to use different mosquito control systems or insecticides than residents of Clarksville, TN, for example.
The best thing you can do is to consult your state pesticide regulatory agency.
Read More: How to Keep Mosquitoes Away
Final Thoughts On Mosquito Misting Systems
Mosquito misting systems, properly installed and maintained, are an effective method of controlling mosquitoes. They require the correct pesticide as well. Bear in mind that mosquito populations vary from one part of the country to another.
If one pesticide doesn’t work, try a different one. Also, remember to vary the length of spray time and the frequency of the sprays. Before long you’ll find the combination that works and keeps the mosquitoes away from your family.
Related Articles
Pynamite Cube PRO Mosquito Misting System
This is the most complete system available. It has 30 stainless steel nozzles, nickel/brass fittings, 450 feet of nylon tubing, 200 clamps with screws, and two long-range remote controls. The Cube holds 55 gallons without putting an ugly barrel in your yard.
Extra hoses, nozzles, Tee, and clamps can extend the range of the system to 80 nozzles with the 300 psi pump that comes with it. A digital programmable controller is included to set the timing of the sprayer, along with an agitator to keep the misting concentrate properly mixed with the water.
The real surprise is, this mosquito control system is only half the price of the most expensive system out there. It’s easy to install and several customers have raved about how good the instruction manual is.
The Good And The Bad
- Agitator keeps pesticide mixed
- Programmable controls
- Easy to install
- 2 remote controls
- 55-gallon capacity
- Made in the United States
- Weighs 85 pounds when empty
Invatech Italia Mosquito Mister
When getting rid of mosquitoes in your backyard, you want to be able to reach as high as possible. The Invetech Italia Mosquito Mister will do just that. Its powerful 4.3 HP motor is designed to achieve a mist output of over 32 feet. This means that you can reach those elusive mosquitoes high into your trees or tall shrubs.
The unit comes with a 3.7-gallon tank, the largest in its category. And it also includes a 3-year manufacturer’s warranty.
The Good And The Bad
- Powerful 4.3 HP motor
- Can reach over 32 feet, vertical
- Large tank
- Competitive warranty
- Large, heavy backpack design may not be best for smaller individuals
Pynamite Mosquito Misting System
This riser kit by Pynamite is ideal for keeping mosquitoes out of yards or gardens. It’s the perfect addition to an already installed misting system. And it’s easy to install for any DIY homeowner.
Place nozzles about 8 feet apart for flower beds and landscaping. All metal parts are stainless steel and designed for mosquito control systems. The orifices are designed to deliver the exact droplets needed for the best possible mosquito control.
This system is designed to be a step up from ordinary misting systems that may degrade over time. All parts are made of corrosion-resistant high-quality material. And they will stand up to any type of insecticide materials.
The Good And The Bad
- Ideal for outdoor mosquito control
- Easy to install
- High-quality parts resist corrosion and degradation
- Precision droplet delivery
- This is a riser kit only and not a stand-alone system
MistyMate Cool Patio Deluxe Outdoor Misting Kit (DIY)
If you want a (lot) less expensive misting option, this kit is designed as a misting system only that runs off of water pressure from the water faucet. Add an inline suction from a jug of pesticide and you can convert it into a mosquito misting system.
Because this system runs off water pressure, there isn’t any on/off switch except turning the faucet on or off. There’s no regulator or timer either. You’ll have to turn the faucet on and let it run for a couple of minutes then turn the faucet off.
Cooling misters such as this are designed to put out more water than you might need for mosquito misting, so keep a close eye on it the first few times you use it to make sure you don’t overdo it.
The Good And The Bad
- Uses water pressure from the faucet
- Simple design
- May put out too much mist
- Requires some extra work
- Requires supervision while running
Gesentur Misting Cooling System (DIY)
With 23 stainless steel nozzles and a brass faucet fitting, this mid-priced misting system uses UV-resistant tubing and water pressure to deliver a fine mist to your patio, pool area, or yard to cool down in the summer.
If you add an inline suction from a gallon jug of mosquito repellent or pesticide, you can turn it into a mosquito mister. There aren’t any automatic controls or settings so you’ll have to keep watch on it while it is running.
The Good And The Bad
- Runs on water pressure
- Amount of mist varies
- Requires supervision while using it
- Requires extra work and time to use it
theBlueStone DIY Misting System Kit (DIY)
This is a 30-piece, all-plastic misting system that runs on water pressure from a standard garden faucet. Everything is included in the box, ready to be assembled. You will have to heat the tubing in hot water to make it pliable during the assembly process.
This uses zip ties instead of clips to hold the tubing in place. You’ll need to add an inline pesticide suction to turn it into a mosquito misting system. This system is cheap but there are reports of nozzles popping off when the water is turned on.
The Good And The Bad
- Lightweight
- Plastic is not UV-coated
- Nozzles pop off due to water pressure
- Requires constant supervision while it is running