Mosquito pupae breathe through a tube or siphon and will float under the water's surface until disturbed.
Mosquitoes are not only an annoying, biting insect, they carry diseases, such as encephalitis, malaria and West Nile virus, that can kill humans. They also transmit heartworms, which can be fatal to dogs. Eliminating them completely from your yard may be impossible, but you can take steps that will greatly reduce their numbers. Mosquitoes lay eggs in standing water, so you can eliminate the source of water or make it inhospitable to larvae development. This will make evenings outdoors not only more enjoyable but safer for your entire family. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Mosquito larvae thrive in this abandoned swimming pool.
Search your yard for tire ruts, ditches, rain gutters, bird baths, tires, buckets, refuse, pet dishes or flower pot bottoms. Any receptacle for standing water can be a breeding site for mosquitoes.
2. Discarded tires hold water that can become an ideal breeding site for mosquitoes.
Wear garden gloves to protect your hands as you determine the source of the larvae. If you find unwanted collection sites, such as buckets or trash cans, turn them over so they can no longer collect water. Call your city, county, or local tire shop to find a place to dispose of old tires. Change the water frequently in bird baths. Empty standing water from pet dishes or flower pots.
3. Gutters and downspouts are a common, overlooked site for mosquito larvae.
Clean out rain gutters and downspouts so they cannot hold water. Check window air conditioners for water drainage that may pool and provide a breeding site. If necessary, attach a hose to the air conditioner so water can drain onto level ground and soak in or evaporate. Use fill dirt or rocks to level out tire ruts or other holes in your yard's surface.
4. Maintain your ornamental pond or swimming pool so that it is inhospitable to larvae development. Mosquitoes love stagnant water, so moving the water in a pond with an aerator will disrupt the development of larvae and the breathing of pupae. Hook up an electric aerator that will constantly move the water. If you have a swimming pool, run the pump every day and keep the water chlorinated.
5. A small quantity of the larvacide Bti can prevent larval development in flower pots, rain barrels or bird baths. It is not harmful to pets, fowl or fish.
Consider using a larvicide if you have a source of standing water that cannot be eliminated -- such as an open rain barrel, plant container or pond that cannot be aerated. Because they live in a concentrated, small area, mosquito larvae can be controlled with the careful application of an approved larvicide. These include products that contain a microbial insecticide, such as Mosquito Dunks or Quick Kill Mosquito Granules, or a larvae growth disruptor, such as PreStrike.
Tags: bird baths, breeding site, standing water, swimming pool, your yard