Mosquitoes are annoying pests that live and breed in almost any standing water situation. While they have predators such as fish, frogs, birds, and dragonflies, mosquitoes can still reproduce at an alarming rate: many can reach adulthood within 10 days of hatching, at which point female mosquitoes will begin to bite humans and animals and lay eggs, hundreds of eggs at a time!
The Mosquito Lifecycle
The egg is where a mosquito’s life begins. The egg develops into a larva, then a pupa, and finally an imago, or adult mosquito. The males and females both feed off of nectar and plant juices, but only the females require blood to lay eggs.
Mosquito-control
The best mosquito control is threefold:
Limit areas for mosquitoes to breed by removing standing water from your property. This includes:
Limiting the number of eggs that reach maturity is the key to mosquito-proofing your summer. Health Canada has approved mosquito larvicides that kill larvae and prevent the larvae from developing into imagoes (adults).
Lanterns, zappers, sprays for skin and clothing, and other repellents help keep female mosquitoes from bothering you, but they are not the most effective form of mosquito control, for they do not prevent the hundreds of already laid eggs from hatching.
Do-it-yourself Mosquito Control
There are some wonderfully effective mosquito control products available for yards and gardens. They can be divided into three categories:
One of the simplest mosquito-proofing products is a mosquito dunk. This easy-to-use doughnut-shaped larvicide is made of solid Bacillus thuringiensis v. israelensis (BTI). All you need to do is place a mosquito dunk anywhere water gathers and remains, such as rain barrels, birdbaths, and ponds. BTI will slowly be released and mosquito larvae will eat it and die.
Another easy mosquito control product is BioMist Insect Killer. This product requires a non-thermal fogger or mister that will allow you to spray any surface, including flowers and vegetables. This product contains the botanical insecticide pyrethrin, which occurs naturally in chrysanthemums, and can be used indoors and outdoors to kill mosquitoes and more.
An outdoor ultraviolet light lures insects, including adult mosquitoes, towards an electrically charged grid that quickly kills the insects. These lights can be used all season long. The dead insects drop to the ground. Place the lights away from where people and pets will be sitting and eating.
Professional Mosquito-proofing
If you feel like you’re behind on mosquito-proofing your outdoor spaces, contact Poulin’s Pest Control throughout the prairies. We sell a variety of mosquito control products and offer professional commercial and residential insect control.