Picture your backyard oasis: a shady spot to read, birds serenading you from the branches, and butterflies flitting amongst the flowers. And then… your peaceful reverie quickly unravels by the whining of a mosquito in your ear.
Have you stopped to think where that mosquito came from on its way to ruining your zen? Chances are it emerged somewhere much closer than you suspect.
Toss The Saucers
That beautiful potted plant might actually be a culprit if it’s sitting in a saucer full of water. Saucers provide the perfect dark, wet environment for Asian tiger mosquitoes to lay their small eggs that are barely visible to the naked eye.
Once laid, the eggs simply lie in wait for a good watering. A day later they hatch and within a week 50 hungry mosquitoes emerge, ready to pester you.
Consider switching out your traditional saucers for plant stands, pot trivets, or pot feet. These alternatives…
• Allow water to drain away from plant roots, preventing soggy feet that leads to root rot
• Are less likely to stain your deck because they don’t stay wet and have a reduced footprint
• Discourage fire ants from nesting underneath or in pots due to increased air circulation
• Come in a variety of materials, sizes and colors
• Don’t breed mosquitoes!
A Donut In Every Bird Bath
After a mosquito lays a bunch of eggs in your plant saucer, she’ll lay a bunch more in your bird bath, kids’ toys, and forgotten buckets. While the rest can be picked up and put away, the bird bath is one place where we actually want water to sit for a few days.
Our feathered friends appreciate a clean place to splash around, so take a moment to spruce it up, give it a good scrub and dislodge any dirt (that might also be mosquito eggs).
After you’ve cleaned it, keep it mosquito-free with a Mosquito Dunk ®, a safe, cheap, easy solution that is harmless to birds, pets, people and fish. One donut can treat a 10-foot by 10-foot area – and you probably don’t have a 100-square foot birdbath – so read the back of the package for directions and use only the amount needed.
If you have a rain barrel or other means of capturing rain water, go ahead a put a dunk in there, too. The active ingredient, Bti, is certified by OMRI for use in organic gardening.
A Big Fan
Literally! Get an oscillating fan that is as big as you can manage. Overhead fans are nice, but they don’t combat mosquitoes. A fan that blows air horizontally creates an air current too stiff for mosquitoes to handle – their flight speed maxes out at 2 miles per hour. A gentle breeze is about 10 mph, so the larger the fan, the greater the area you can keep mosquito-free.
Check out Mosquito-Proof Your Patio Part II
We’ll highlight three more easy things you can do to enjoy the outdoors and be mosquito-free.
For more information on keeping mosquitoes out of your backyard, check out thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/mosquitoinfo. To report a mosquito problem contact the Environmental Services Department at enviro@thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov or 281-210-3800.