A few steps can keep mosquitoes from swarming your garden.
Not only are they annoying, but mosquitoes spread diseases like West Nile Virus and sleeping sickness. To control the 150 species of mosquitoes that live in North America, it is best to destroy the mosquito before it becomes a breeding adult. The mosquito life cycle consists of an egg that hatches into a larva that grows into a pupa. Days later, the adult mosquito is ready to bite. By halting the mosquito life cycle before it reaches the pupae stage you can greatly reduce the number of mosquitoes in your garden. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Remove any standing water from your yard. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in stagnant water so by removing a place for the eggs, you reduce the possibility the eggs can reach the pupal stage. Remove any old tires where water can collect, empty the saucers of flower pots, improve drainage where water collects in your lawn and drain off any water pooling on tarps.
2. Cover rain barrel openings with fine mesh screen. Rain barrels hold water for long periods of time and are inviting to mosquitoes. To keep your rain barrel mosquito-free, secure a frame of fine mesh screen over the opening.
3. Place mosquito dunks in your ponds. Mosquito control doesn't mean you can't enjoy a water feature in your yard, but you do need to learn maintain it. A mosquito dunk contains a bacteria that inhibits the mosquito's growth at the larval stage. One cake of the mosquito dunk will treat a 100 square foot area of water surface and isn't harmful to your fish. Add a new dunk every month.
4. Contact your local vector control agency about getting mosquito fish. Gambusia feed on mosquito larvae and are usually given away free by county or state vector control agents. The fish need little care and will get along with other fish in your pond.
5. Install a bubbler or aerator on your bird bath or pond. Mosquito eggs are less likely to hatch when the water is disturbed. Although the action of a bird playing in your bird bath will disturb the eggs, it's more reliable to install a bubbler.
6. Skim the surface of your pond with a net. The larvae of mosquitoes can be seen with the naked eye. If, despite all your efforts, you find larvae floating in your pond or bird bath, scoop the larvae out with a fine mesh net such as those used for aquariums. Dump the captured larvae in a dry area where they will desiccate.
Tags: bird bath, fine mesh, your pond, adult mosquito, fine mesh screen