An integrated system of mosquito management must include education as well as mosquito controlling chemicals.  Unwittingly, many homeowners create a mosquito haven in their backyards, making it harder for backyard misting systems and other mosquito controls to do their job and forcing sprayings more often than might otherwise be necessary.

Most of us know that mosquitoes breed in water, but many of us do not realize how many water traps we create in our backyards.  If you live near a lake, have a swimming pool or have insufficient drainage, you're probably aware of the large water sources and their affect on mosquito populations.  But some of the most common mosquito breeding pools are places that are easily overlooked such as...

Mosquito Breeding Grounds
old tarps urns tires buckets bird baths tree stumps pet bowls		horse troughs tins cans toys pools under leaky faucets drain dishes for potted plants.

Anything that holds standing water, such as a bird bath, should be changed at least once a week and ideally every three days to ensure that mosquitoes do not have enough time to cycle through their

Keep mosquito eating fish in ponds to prevent breeding.

water-dependant stages (egg, larvae, pupa) and emerge into adults.

Swimming pools should be kept circulating and chlorinated, irrigation ditches should be kept flowing and rain gutters should be kept unclogged.  You can lower the chances of mosquitoes breeding in Koi ponds and other ornamental pools by introducing mosquito eating fish. 

Mosquitoes rest in shade and foliage.

If possible, items that tend to collect rainwater should be kept out of the shade and away from foliage.  Mosquitoes are not strong fliers and prefer to keep out of the wind and under the protection of weeds, shrubs, trees and gardens, so water sources underneath the flora are particularly attractive to them.

White light also attracts mosquitoes, as does the carbon dioxide from fires and candles.  Replacing your porch and outdoor lights with yellow bug lights will help keep them from swarming every time you flip the on switch.  Keeping away from those tiki torches and flaming BBQ pits can also keep the bug bites down.

Reducing breeding and resting places, as well as paying attention to proper lighting can help with mosquito control.  But as we all know, mosquitoes are persistent creatures.  For most backyards, vegetation management and pooling reduction is only a small portion of a total pest management plan. 

Learn More about Mosquito Control:
Zoning Yards around Mosquito Havens.