After some of our recent rains, you may have noticed areas of your lawn holding water. Or perhaps you have some buckets, pots, plastic tarps or other items sitting around that filled up with rainwater.
As temperatures warm up and mosquitoes become more active, puddles and containers full of water provide a place for these insects to lay eggs. Having standing water for even a short amount of time can give mosquitoes enough opportunity to breed — and seemingly take over your yard.
“Within three to five days, they can start to produce mosquitoes in the area,” said LSU AgCenter entomologist Aaron Ashbrook. “And of course, these could potentially be biting you and a threat to yourself as a disease vector.”
If you want to avoid having your time in the garden or on the patio disrupted by itchy mosquito bites, the best solution doesn’t involve spraying insecticides. It’s getting rid of water, which is a critical component of mosquitoes’ life cycle.
Here are some steps Ashbrook recommends to help keep the mosquito population in your yard at bay: 1. Use soil or sand to fill in any holes and low-lying areas of the yard that hold water. Alternatively, you can try to drain the hole by diverting the water. Use a shovel to create a channel for water to flow away from the yard. Not only will you eliminate breeding grounds for mosquitoes; you’ll also remove tripping hazards from your landscape.
2. Empty water from buckets, pots, saucers and other containers. When not in use, store these items in a protected area — like in a shed or under a carport — so they don’t fill up with water again. Or, if they must be kept outside, turn them upside down or dump them regularly. Consider throwing away water-holding items that are rarely or no longer used.
3. Bird baths and water features offer aesthetic appeal, but they can breed mosquitoes. You can install an aeration system to keep the water moving and fresh, or simply be sure to change the water every three to five days.
4. Keep bird baths, fountains and other water features clean. Algae and plant material can build up easily in these items, providing an easy source of food for mosquito larvae. Try to locate these features in shaded areas; less sunlight will slow the photosynthesis process and reduce algae growth. When cleaning bird baths, use a mixture of equal parts of water and white vinegar. Rinse thoroughly before refilling with fresh water. Do not use soap, which can strip oils from birds’ feathers.
