Know your mosquitoes... and what to do about them.

Mosquito season is upon us. Some species are annoying but harmless, but a few can carry human disease. With a bit of common sense and a sharp eye we can to control them without poisoning our environment.

These time-tested strategies work.

Get rid of standing water:

  1. Mosquitoes breed in standing water, including containers as small as an overturned bottle cap. Check your yard to be sure that no water is trapped in gutters, buckets, plastic toys, hot tub covers, flowerpots, hollow fence posts, spare tires, dog dishes. Fill any water-trapping depressions with sand or drill holes to let the water drain out. 
  2. If you have a pond, unused fountain, or un-chlorinated swimming pool, introduce mosquito fish (Gambusia) to eat mosquito larvae – they are very effective. Dip mosquito fish out of the canals or ask Mayor Stoddard for some from his pond. Allowing mosquitoes to breed in an un-tended swimming pool is a violation of the city code, county and state law.
  3. Treat your bromeliads. Bromeliads trap water that can breed mosquitoes. After rainstorms or once a week in rainy season, put a larvicide into the center of bromeliads - nurseries sell a product that works - or replace them with ornamentals that don’t collect rainwater.

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