The chemicals in mosquito sprays kill ALL the insects that they touch so we want to avoid using them at all costs. By eliminating all breeding areas in our yards and directing mosquitos to lay their eggs in the ‘Buckets Of Doom’ where the larvae cannot develop, we safely decimate the population.
Mosquito Control
Place prepared buckets in shady locations Once a
month add a new piece of a Dunk - I break the discs into quarters and add a new piece each month. Check water levels periodically to make sure they haven’t filled up with rainwater- you’ll want them about half full- either pour off water or add some to accomplish this. Around July 1- mid summer - dump out the water and start a fresh mix.
Begin being very thorough about any standing water in your yard. Look at plant saucers, plastic toys, in tarps, inside corrugated drain pipes, in basement entry drains, window wells, in furniture that just sits outside, inside trash cans or their handles. In places that you cannot dump the water out, you can add Dunks in the form of sprinkles. I walk through my yard after rain and recheck areas that I know are problems. This is not hard or overwhelming work- it just needs to be done consistently .
If you notice an increase in the number of mosquitos, they have likely found a place to safely lay eggs. You need to find where this is happening- it is probably somewhere in your yard or in a close neighbor’s.
If you’re going to be away for several days in the summer, try to put any objects that normally gather rainwater away . You will know where these things are by then. The mosquitos reproduction cycle is very fast and you really lose ground by letting them breed while you are gone.
We cover the buckets to keep other creatures from drowning. One alternative is to put a large stick into the water so that animals have a way out if they fall in. You can also purchase a special hydroponic net pot top for 5 gallon buckets that let mosquitoes in but prevent any other animals from getting in. They cost around $8 each. Link here.
Finding Breeding Areas
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Finding Breeding Areas •
You will need to find any other places that a female mosquito might want to lay eggs (places where water gathers and sits) and eliminate it so they are directed to the water in the buckets. The pesky Tiger mosquito can use very small areas of standing water to lay eggs. Also, talking to neighbors about this really helps build awareness even if they don’t want to maintain the buckets.
• Saucers under plants
• Grill covers or other tarps
• Drains that hold standing water- sprinkle Bt Bits in these weekly. Look outside basement entrances and in any other drains.
• Make sure your gutters are draining
• Uncovered trashcans and toys that aren’t used daily
• Corrugated drain pipes that extend a downspout always hold a little water. Either toss Bits up the drain after each rain or try covering the opening with a piece of nylon stocking (or something similar) that the water can pass through but mosquitos can’t get through to lay eggs.
A rubber band can secure it.
• Look under decks for any object that collects water
• Look for collected water under air conditioner condensation pipes. You can sprinkle Bt Bits here weekly.
• Fish ponds with pumps and clean birdbaths are ok.
Other Resources-
• Bee Safe Mosquito Control is a local business that provides a more complex biological larvicide and mosquito abatement solution than the buckets. They also come and find breeding areas. You pay for the whole season and they come monthly. There are no sprays involved. beesafemosquitocontrol.com
• Biogents Mosquitaire Mosquito Trap CO2. Our buckets lure adults and kill the larvae, this product lures and also traps adult females. It works well but is not cheap- You can buy on Amazon. You can find a used CO2 canister online and use Robert’s to refill. You will also want a small timer to run it during the day.