While summer can be a time for homeowners to enjoy their yards, that can sometimes be overshadowed by annoying pests, especially mosquitoes.

And with the mosquito-borne tropical Zika virus becoming a domestic threat, many homeowners may be eager to kill the mosquito populations at home.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there were 23 confirmed cases of Zika in Pennsylvania as of early June, but those infected contracted the virus while traveling, without local transmission between people in the state.

The virus typically causes only a mild and brief illness in most people, with fever, rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis among the symptoms.

But for pregnant women, there’s risk of devastating birth defects including microcephaly, or an unusually small head.

Scientists have determined that a second mosquito — the Asian tiger mosquito, which is prevalent on the East Coast — can carry the virus.

In Pennsylvania, mosquitoes already are known to carry the West Nile virus, which is typically not too risky unless a person’s immune system is compromised, according to the Penn State Extension.

Fortunately, for homeowners, there are a number of ways to limit mosquito populations around the home, including reducing breeding sites, using repellents, repairing home screens and limiting activities during times when mosquitoes are more active.

For homeowners who want to keep mosquitoes out of their space this summer, there are a number of options available at Agway in Butler.

At Agway, there are four main types of products that can help reduce and prevent mosquito populations, according to Agway employee Erica Schultheis.

For the homeowner who might have areas of standing water in their yard, the key is preventing mosquito breeding.

Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water, needing only an inch of standing water, according to the Extension.

A product called dunkers come in doughnut shapes or in granules that can be sprinkled into water, using bacteria to kill off any mosquito larvae in the water, according to Schultheis. The organic dunkers are tethered into things like rain barrels, bird baths and fountains. These dunkers typically last for 30 days or more, Schultheis said.

Eliminating standing water is a huge opportunity to reduce mosquito populations, according to the Extension.

For at-home wading pools or wheelbarrows that are sitting around, the Extension recommends storing them upside-down to keep them drained.

Homeowners with bird baths should change the water once every week, according to the Extension, and bird baths would also be a good location to use dunkers, Schultheis said.

Swimming pools should be chlorinated to prevent mosquitoes from laying eggs and breeding, according to the Extension.

A space for mosquito breeding that homeowners may forget about are rain gutters, which must be sloped enough to ensure that water will not stay standing, according to the Extension.

Another natural solution to repelling mosquito are essential oil repellents, sold at Agway. The oils are mainly citronella and geranium oils, used to deter mosquitoes by applying around a patio or any outdoor space where a homeowner wants to keep mosquitoes away from.

But Schultheis said one downside to the oil repellents is reapplication.

“After a while, you’re going to have to reapply it, especially after rain,” Schultheis said.

Other repellents that contain a chemical called DEET are effective at deterring mosquitoes, according to the Extension.

Homeowners can also use two different chemical approaches, Schultheis said.

One is a fogger product that can be used indoor and outdoor, and it can control other flying or crawling insects, Schultheis said.

The fogger is available in a spray can, similar to other bug sprays.

“It’s going to work like an air freshener, more or less, to kill them,” she said. “It creates a fog, and it’ll take care of (the mosquitoes) that way.”

Just like the oil repellents, the fog spray needs to be reapplied, Schultheis said.

Another option is a hose-end sprayer, a chemical insecticide that can be sprayed onto large plots of yards or fields, Schultheis said.

Although it might be a more serious approach, the insecticide lasts about four weeks and can withstand rain.

Other options the Extension recommends include limiting activities outdoors during the times that mosquitoes are most active, from dusk until dawn.