Mosquito Control Starts at Home - Tip & Toss

While mosquitoes are commonly associated with stormwater ponds, stream beds, and drainage areas, some of the most productive breeding sites are found right on residential and commercial properties. This is because mosquitoes depend on water at every stage of their life cycle, as eggs, larvae, and pupae all require standing water to survive and develop. Eliminating those sources on your property is one of the most effective things you can do to reduce mosquito populations in your neighborhood.

Mosquitoes can breed in a flowerpot tray, a clogged gutter, a child's toy, a bottle cap, or anywhere water sits undisturbed for more than a few days. The single most effective thing you can do is tip and toss standing water around your property at least once a week. Check drain pipes, tarps, tires, gutters, and any object that can collect even a small amount of water. Without standing water, mosquitoes cannot reproduce, making every source you eliminate a breeding site lost for good.

Here are some tips to protect you, your family and pets:

• Make a habit of checking your yard weekly for standing water and dumping or refreshing any sources you find, including birdbaths and pet bowls, at least once a week.

• Cover the ends of downspout extension tubes with a piece of screen secured with a rubber band to prevent mosquitoes from accessing water that pools inside.

• Our most common nuisance species is the Asian tiger mosquito, which breeds primarily in artificial containers and is active during the day rather than at dusk and dawn like most other species. It needs as little as a tablespoon of water to complete its life cycle, so be thorough when checking your property. Even a plastic bottle cap can hold enough water for them to reproduce.

• Wear long sleeves, pants, and EPA-registered insect repellent when spending time outdoors, especially during peak mosquito activity.

HOW MOSQUITOES FEED

Mosquitoes have mouthparts that are adapted for piercing the skin of plants and animals. While males typically feed on nectar and plant juices, the female needs to obtain nutrients from a "blood meal" before she can produce eggs.

Adult females lay their eggs in standing water, which can be a salt-marsh, a lake, a puddle, a natural reservoir on a plant, or an artificial water container such as a plastic bucket.

The first three stages are aquatic and last 5–14 days, depending on the species and the ambient temperature; eggs hatch to become larvae, then pupae. The adult mosquito emerges from the pupa as it floats at the water surface. Adults live for 4–8 weeks.

In some species of mosquito, the females feed on humans, and are therefore carriers for a number of infectious diseases. For information on the Zika virus, click here to visit the Center for Disease Control (CDC) website.

LIFE CYCLE OF THE MOSQUITO

The Mosquito is a common insect in the family Culicidae (from the Latin culex meaning midge or gnat). All mosquitoes pass through four life stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. The first three stages must have water for development.