Every spring, Toronto homeowners face the same choice: buy sprays and candles and handle mosquitoes yourself, or hire a professional. Both approaches have a place. This guide compares them honestly on results, cost and safety, and lists the clear signs that it is time to call a mosquito exterminator.
Quick Answer
DIY mosquito control works for low-pressure yards when you remove standing water every week and use repellent. Professional mosquito control is the better choice when your property borders a ravine, creek, pond or wetland, when you want predictable results all season, or when you have an event to protect. For most GTA homes, the best results come from combining both.
Professional Mosquito Control vs DIY: Side-by-Side
| Factor | DIY | Professional |
|---|---|---|
| Products | Retail sprays, foggers, candles, plug-ins | Health Canada-approved products applied by trained, licensed technicians |
| Coverage | Spots you can see and reach | Full property, including the undersides of leaves, hedges and shaded resting areas |
| Breeding sites | Often missed | Inspected and addressed at every visit |
| How long it lasts | Hours to a few days | 3 to 4 weeks per treatment |
| Cost | About $50 to $150 per season in products, plus your time | From $99 per visit or from $549 per season |
| Guarantee | None | Free re-treatment if mosquitoes return between visits |
What DIY Does Well
Some of the most effective mosquito control steps cost nothing, and no company can do them for you every day:
- Emptying standing water every week, especially after rain
- Treating rain barrels and ponds with Bti mosquito dunks
- Keeping grass short and shrubs thinned out
- Using a Health Canada-registered repellent at dawn and dusk
- Repairing window and door screens
Our 10 home mosquito treatments that work guide covers each of these in detail.
Where DIY Falls Short
- Short-lived results: foggers and hose-end sprays kill the mosquitoes flying at that moment (here is how fogging compares to barrier spray), but new ones arrive from neighbouring yards and ravines within a day or two.
- Missed resting sites: adult mosquitoes spend the day under leaves and deep inside shrubs. Spraying the lawn or the air does very little.
- Risk of misuse: spraying in wind, on flowering plants or near ponds can harm bees, fish and other beneficial insects.
- Time and consistency: results depend on repeating the work every week, all summer.
7 Signs You Need a Mosquito Exterminator
- You get bitten within minutes of sitting outside at dusk, even with repellent.
- Mosquitoes are regularly getting inside your house, even after sealing the usual entry points.
- Your yard backs onto a ravine, creek, stormwater pond, wetland or conservation area.
- Someone in your home is very young, elderly, or reacts strongly to bites.
- You have a wedding, party or family gathering coming up.
- You have tried DIY methods for several weeks with no real improvement.
- You are also finding ticks on people or pets after time in the yard. Blacklegged ticks can carry Lyme disease in the GTA.
If two or more of these sound familiar, a professional treatment will almost certainly make a noticeable difference.
Why Treating Before Summer Pays Off
Mosquito populations grow in generations. Each female can lay a hundred or more eggs at a time, and in warm weather a new generation can appear every 7 to 10 days. Treating in late May, before the first big emergence, keeps that cycle small. Waiting until July means fighting a much larger population for the rest of the season. Our guide to mosquito season in Toronto explains the timing month by month.
How a Professional Mosquito Treatment Works
- Inspection: a technician walks your property and finds breeding sites and resting areas.
- Source reduction: standing water is removed or treated, and you get specific recommendations.
- Barrier treatment: a mosquito barrier spray is applied to shrubs, hedges, tree lines and shaded areas where mosquitoes rest.
- Follow-up: with a seasonal program, the technician returns every 3 to 4 weeks from May through September.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is professional mosquito spray safe for kids and pets?
Yes, when Health Canada-approved products are applied according to the label. Keep children and pets off treated areas until the spray has dried, usually 30 to 60 minutes.
How much does professional mosquito control cost?
In the GTA, a single barrier treatment for a standard lot starts from about $99 and a full seasonal program from about $549. See our mosquito control cost guide for details.
Can I combine DIY and professional treatment?
Absolutely, and you should. Professional treatments handle the adult mosquitoes and resting sites, while your weekly removal of standing water stops new ones from hatching.
How do I choose the right company?
Ask about licensing, products, inspections, guarantees and safety before you book. Our checklist on how to choose a mosquito control company lists the 10 questions to ask.
Ready to stop fighting mosquitoes on your own? BHT Mosquito Control provides mosquito control in Toronto and across the GTA. Call (416) 995-3383 for a free quote.