Taking a few minutes to remove mosquito breeding habitat around your property can reduce your risk of mosquitoes spoiling your barbeques, or worse, spreading diseases such as West Nile Virus. After each rain take a few minutes and inspect your yard and dump out water from any household containers, such as buckets, flowerpots, and old tires that may breed mosquitoes. Don’t forget to check for clogged rain gutters, or tarps over wood piles, and boats that may also be holding water. If you are collecting rainwater for later use, be sure that barrels or cisterns are covered with fine mesh screen to keep mosquitoes from using them as a home. Ornamental ponds and stock troughs should be stocked with mosquito fish to keep mosquitoes at bay. Dog dishes and bird baths should be cleaned weekly, remember anything that holds water for 7 days can produce mosquitoes.
Did you know that certain kinds of mosquitoes like to breed in tree cavities? This could be happening near your house if you have oak and madrone trees. The western treehole mosquito, Aedes sierrensis, breeds in tree cavities. It is commonly found in spring and summer on the west coast, and is a know carrier of canine heartworm. So, if you are wondering where the water source for mosquitoes near your house is, don’t forget to look in the trees. Filling in these cavities is recommended.