Eliminate Mosquito Breeding Areas

Mosquitoes breed in standing water. So the first, most important step in controlling them is to find all of the places where water can accumulate on your property. You can help reduce the mosquito population around your home since some mosquitoes, such as the Asian tiger mosquito or the Southern house mosquito, typically fly only a few hundred feet from their breeding areas.

• Get rid of places where adult mosquitoes can find cool, dark, and damp areas to rest by mowing the lawn, trimming shrubbery, and cutting down weeds and vines, such as ivy, in the yard and next to the house.
• Clear out weeds, leaves, dirt, and other debris from pipes, especially those under a driveway. Make sure that water does not stand inside or near the ends of the pipe.
• Clean out rain gutters and downspouts regularly. Clogged gutters are one of the most overlooked breeding sites for mosquitoes around homes.
• Empty and turn over containers that hold water such as cans, jars, drums, bottles, flower pots, buckets, children's toys, wheel barrows, old appliances, plastic sheeting or tarps used to cover objects like grills or swimming pools, etc.
• Drain or fill any low places, such as potholes, on your property where water collects and stands for more than 5 to 7 days.
• Make sure that all permanent water containers such as wells, septic tanks, cisterns, water tanks, and cesspools are tightly covered and insect-proof.
• Repair leaky pipes and outdoor faucets.
• Cover trash containers/garbage cans to keep rainwater from accumulating.
• Keep boats and canoes drained and covered/overturned. Make sure that tarps or other covers do not hold water.
• Drain or get rid of old tires by recycling them. -Drill holes in tire swings so rainwater will drain out.
• Pack tree holes and hollow stumps with sand or cement.

Treat Water That Can't Be Drained

• Stock ornamental pools/ponds with mosquito-eating minnows, and keep vegetation trimmed from the edge of the pond.
• Larvicides: For small areas of water that can't be drained, use mosquito control products, such as mosquito dunks. Look for products at your local lawn and garden or home improvement store that will interrupt mosquitoes breeding cycle and that contain an active ingredient such as Bti ( Bacillus thuringiensis israeli ) or methoprene that will not harm humans, animals, fish, or vegetation when used as directed.
• Change the water in bird baths (and flower cuttings) at least once a week.
• Clean out and change the water in your pet's water bowl or trough every day.
• Maintain swimming pools with proper pool chemicals or drain them completely if they are not in use.
• Completely empty and clean out children's wading pools at least once a week. Keep children's wading pools empty and on their side when not in use.
• Place screens over rain barrels so that adult female mosquitoes cannot lay eggs there.

Protect Pets from Deadly Heartworms

Mosquitoes carry diseases that can harm you and your pets too. Heartworm a potentially deadly parasite that can be transmitted to pets from mosquitoes. It is a filarial worm (nematode) that can clog the heart and major blood vessels leading from the heart, which reduces the blood supply and oxygen to organs.

The number one way to protect your pet from heartworm is with preventive medicine. Cats cannot be treated for heartworms, so prevention is the key. Your veterinarian can prescribe medicine to prevent heartworms. Do not give your cat the same medicine your dog gets for heartworm prevention, as their needs are different. Using medicine to prevent heartworms is a much better option than having to treat your pet for heartworms, which can cause severe toxic reactions in your pet.

Local Mosquito Control Programs

If you have done all you can to reduce the number of mosquitoes around your home, but are still bothered by them, they may be breeding somewhere beyond your property. Contact your local mosquito program for help.

Resources

7 Ts of Mosquito Prevention (pdf)

Protect Your Home From Mosquitoes (pdf)

Additional Resources

• The American Mosquito Control Association
• South Carolina Mosquito Control Association
• Using Pesticides Safely, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Pesticide Programs
• Homeowner Pesticide Information, Clemson University Department of Entomology's Pesticide Information Program
• Find the Repellent That is Right For You

References

• Barnard DR, Xue RD. Laboratory evaluation of mosquito repellents against Aedes albopictus , Culex nigripalpus , and Ochlerotatus triseriatus (Diptera: Culicidae). J Med Entomol. 2004;41(4):726-30.
• Barnard DR, et al. Repellency of IR3535, KBR3023, para-menthane-3,8-diol, and DEET to Black Salt March mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in the Everglades National Park. J Med Entomol. 2002; 39(6): 895-899.
• Fradin MS, Day JF. Comparative efficacy of insect repellents against mosquito bites. N Engl J Med. 2002; 347(1):13-8.
• Thavara U et al. Laboratory and field evaluations of the insect repellents 3535 (ethyl butyletylaminopropionate) and DEET against mosquito vectors in Thailand. J of Am Mosq Cont Assoc. 2001, 17(3):190-195.