Prevent Mosquitoes In Common Backyard Sources

Backyard sources:

• Potted plant saucers
• Bromeliads
• Buckets and containers
• Open trash cans
• Outdoor furniture
• Rain Barrels
• Tarps
• Children's Toys
• Kiddie Pools
• Wheelbarrows
• Birdbaths
• Watering Cans
• Trash and clutter
• Open fence posts or bamboo
• Treeholes and decorative rocks
• Tires

Avoid overwatering plants. Dump out excess water that collects under the pot after watering or after rain. Keep the saucer dry or dump the water out once a week.

Filling saucers with fine gravel or sand can make it more difficult for mosquitoes can lay their eggs. The rocks or sand should go high enough that there is no visible water surface.

Invasive Aedes mosquitoes lay their eggs on the side of containers. They can stay dry for months at a time and be ready to go the next time you water. Wiping out saucers and the outside of pots with a sponge can help to remove eggs.

Don’t leave unused pots and saucers outside where they can collect rain water and debris.  Store them inside or upside down.

Water bromeliads at the base so that the tanks between their leaves do not fill up with water. You can also regularly flush out the water collected between the leaves with a hose (at least once a week) to remove mosquito larvae.

Sprinkle a bacterial larvicide into the water between the leaves of the bromeliad regularly as directed by the label. This kills mosquitoes but is safe for people, plants, and animals.

For potted bromeliads, tip them over to drain the
water once a week. Dump out any water in saucers
under potted plants once a week as well.

Inspect bromeliads for larvae regularly to be sure control measures are working. Larvae look like small wiggling worms. Shining a flashlight into the plant can help you see them.

Even stored upside down some small amounts of water may still collect in the toy. Store toys indoors or under covered areas to keep water from pooling.

Toys that require water, such as water tables and kiddie pools, should be dumped out at least once a week, kept clean, and stored or covered when not in use to avoid collecting rainwater.

Water can collect in places where it is difficult to see such as tires and even the bases of basketball hoops. Drill drainage holes in tire swings and any play equipment that can hold water. Make sure openings into the bases of basketball hoops are securely sealed.

Tree holes, decorative rocks, or holes in soil or cement can collect enough water to breed mosquitoes. Fill these holes with sand, cement, or soil to prevent water from pooling.

Uncapped fence posts and bamboo poles can
collect rain water quite easily. Cap fence posts
or fill these holes with sand or cement.

Clutter like old tires, bottles and cans, or old pots
or buckets can also hold enough water to breed
mosquitoes. Throw away what you can, and cover the rest tightly with a tarp.

Cover tires with tarps to avoid collecting water, store indoors or under cover

Drill holes in scrap tires or cut them up into smaller pieces

Stretch tarps and awnings tightly so that they do not collect water

Drill drainage holes into the bottom of tire swings