Mosquitoes are a warm-season pest that can make enjoying the outdoors impossible. For those who have fish ponds, pools, birdbaths and other still-water areas, it can be difficult to prevent them from becoming mosquito breeding grounds. There is no need to completely avoid your yard or garden because of a mosquito infestation. With a little planning and proper maintenance, your water feature will be mosquito-free throughout the season. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Place top-feeding fish into the still water. These fish -- including goldfish, top minnows and gambusia -- will eat mosquito larvae from the top of the still water.
2. Stop feeding the fish in the pond starting in late spring and lasting until the late summer. This encourages the fish to eat the mosquito larvae and eggs in the water.
3. Cut back plants along the pond or other still water area, using loppers, so there are no thick clumps. Prune out one-third of the stalks from clumps like cattails so the fish can swim through them and eat the mosquitoes. You do not need to cut down all vegetation.
4. Mix a larvicide with water as directed on the package if you don't want to put fish in your area of still water. Pour the larvicide into the still water. Larvicide kills mosquito eggs and larvae, but does not harm plant life.
Tags: still water, into still, into still water, mosquito larvae