Mosquito Management Tips

  

               As recent rainfall events bring relief to the drought situation we have been in for some time, we can expect to see, and indeed are already starting to see, a deluge of mosquito onslaughts.  More than just an annoyance, the very worst species of mosquitos can transmit a plethora of diseases such as malaria, West Nile, Zika and others that can be transmitted to humans and animals if the diseases are already in the area.  Successful mosquito control, or integrated mosquito management (IMM), is much more than relying on municipalities spraying for mosquitoes and wearing repellent and should be much more effective than getting suckered into spending good money on unproven gimmicky mosquito control devices.  There are several simple and proactive things you can integrate to lower the mosquito population in your domain. 

               First you need to understand that all mosquitoes require standing water to complete their life cycle and most IMM strategies involve limiting their access to that water or managing that water.  It does not take much water and it does not need to stand long, especially for the most dangerous mosquito species.  There are several species that require 3 days or less of a thimble full of standing water for the wigglers, the larval stage of mosquitoes, to reach adulthood.  So, what are a few things anyone can do to manage standing water and limit the mosquito population?

-        Following a rain or irrigation event, do not allow water to stand longer than 48 hours or so.  This can involve simple things such as filling in a small pothole in the back alley, draining a clogged gutter or potted plant, or dumping the water from an abandoned tire or child’s toy.  This activity costs nothing but a touch of intelligent vigilance strictly adhered to along with managing all locations on a property could reduce the mosquito population by 70%, just by denying the wigglers (mosquito larva) a location to develop into adults.

-        Manage any standing water that cannot be drained or filled. 

This can involve treatments or biological control.  Readily and commercially available to the public are a type of naturally occurring Bt bacteria that kills mosquito wigglers in water.  There are several commercial versions, often formed into donut shapes and often referred to as ‘Dunks.’  These are locally available at very reasonable prices.  Please be sure to follow label instructions.  These ‘Dunks’ can be broken up to fit the size of the water treatment need and impact only the mosquito wigglers, leaving fish and other aquatic organisms unimpacted.  For stock tanks or even larger or permanent bodies of water, predacious fish or other mosquito predators can be introduced.  Water collection systems and tanks can also become mosquito breeding sites.  The mosquito ‘Dunks’ can be used here also, but primarily these systems need to be airtight so no mosquito eggs can be lain in them. 

With a few inexpensive integrated mosquito methods, the mosquito deluge can be seriously mitigated where it matters to you most.  

Blayne Reed