For many outdoor enthusiasts, including gardeners, the thirsty mosquito is public enemy No. 1. Sure, the pests have their place in the food chain, but that’s not gonna keep you from swatting the one that’s looking to make you its next meal. Fortunately, there are several steps you can take to reduce the mosquito population in your yard. Let’s take a quick look at how the masses grow – then figure out how to stop it.
You can find some mosquito-control products at garden centers or hardware stores.
Photo Credit: ©2007 Buglady Consulting
This mosquito pupa will soon be out for blood.
Photo Credit: ©2007 Buglady Consulting
There are 176 species of mosquitoes in the US (a small number compared with the more than 2,500 species in the world). Mosquitoes typically lay their eggs on the surface of stagnant water, and the eggs hatch when the water level rises (like after a rainstorm). It only takes a week for the mosquitoes to develop from eggs to adults. During drought periods, you won’t notice as many mosquitoes…until it rains again and all the dormant eggs are given a new lease on life.
The mosquitoes who visit your yard likely have their choice of suitable breeding sites. Almost anything that’ll hold water (even a small amount of it) for one week or more can become a great mosquito nursery. Are you breeding mosquitoes? Here are some common backyard hostels:
- Children’s toys
- Leaf-clogged gutters
- Leaky spigots or hoses
- Wheelbarrows
- Buckets and watering cans
- Uncovered rain barrels
- Plant saucers
- Birdbaths
- Tree holes and stumps
- Ponds with no aeration
- A neglected pool or hot tub
- Tarps
- Recycling bins
- Wading pools
In most cases, simply being vigilant about emptying the rainwater that accumulates in these areas is sufficient. In other cases, regular maintenance can allow you to enjoy a water feature like a birdbath or garden pond without fear of serious mosquito invasion. Birdbath water should be changed weekly, and a pond should be aerated with a small pump. Some potential breeding grounds require a one-time solution. For example, drill holes in the bottom of your recycling bin so water can drain out, and plug tree holes and stumps to prevent water from accumulating there.
If you take the proper precautions and still have a mosquito problem, there are a number of homeowner insect-control products available at your local garden center or hardware store. These products are applied differently and provide different means of control. For example, Mosquito Dunks® and Mosquito Bits® contain a bacterial spore that produces a toxin specific to mosquito and blackfly larvae when ingested. Pre-Strike™ mimics the insect hormone required for metamorphosis, essentially preventing the mosquito larvae from becoming adults. The latest innovation is Agnique® MMF, an alcohol-derived solution that lowers the surface tension of water and causes mosquito larvae to drown.
Aside from the annoying itchy bumps they leave on our skin, mosquitoes can transmit diseases to people and, more commonly, to animals. The first line of defense for controlling mosquito populations is to be a responsible homeowner by eliminating potential breeding sites in your own back yard. Don’t give these pests a chance to spoil your time outdoors!
