There are many species of mosquitoes in the United States. Mosquitoes have always been a nuisance, but until recently, they seldom posed a serious health threat in non-malarial areas. That changed, however, with the arrival and proliferation of West Nile virus, a disease spread by mosquito bites which has become permanently established in the western hemisphere over the past 10 years.
Standing water is the mosquito nursery. Mosquitoes can hatch in a week or less, in as little as a half-inch of water. If you get rid of still or stagnant water at least weekly, you will keep many mosquitoes from breeding and take a big step toward protecting yourself and your family.
Here are some tips to control mosquitoes in outdoor areas outdoors where you work or play:
- Regularly empty water from flower pots, pet food and water dishes, birdbaths, swimming pool covers, buckets, barrels, and cans.
- Check for clogged rain gutters and clean them out.
- Remove discarded tires and other items that could collect water.
- Be sure to check for containers or trash in places that may be hard to see, such as under bushes or under your home.
- Empty accumulated water from boats, canoes, and cargo trailers.
- Cover or turn containers upside down so they won’t hold water. This includes boxes, buckets, cans, cups, jars, and pots.
- Check for nooks and crannies that hold water, and drain or flush weekly.
- Water can also collect in fence posts. Cap them if possible.
- Keep outdoor drains flowing freely.
- Replace plastic mulch with landscape fabric that prevents weeds yet allows water through.
- Drill drainage holes in tire swings and in playground equipment where water can collect.
By using these tips for mosquito control, you reduce the number of places mosquitoes can lay their eggs and breed.
Tip: Dawn and dusk are when biting mosquitoes are most active since they avoid the heat of day.
Tip: Vitamin B, ultrasonic devices and bug zappers (where bugs attracted to a light are electrocuted) are NOT effective in mosquito control or preventing mosquito bites.
If you have a water garden, you can grow a lot of mosquitoes if you let the water stagnate. Aerate ornamental pools, stock them with mosquito fish or use mosquito dunks.
Mosquito Fish are tiny fish that eat mosquito larvae that have just hatched from eggs. Some mosquito control agencies will supply mosquito fish without charge to residents to put in ornamental ponds, unused swimming pools, ditches, sumps, water troughs, and similar sites.
Mosquito Dunks are doughnut-shaped blocks that contain BTi, a pesticide that kills mosquito larvae but is non-toxic to animals and fish. Dunks dissolve slowly in water. You can buy them at your local hardware and garden stores.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC)
