Many issues contribute to a mosquito problem; landscaping with heavy vegetation, containers left out in the open to collect rain, and nearby water sources all are potential mosquito breeding sites or are attractive habit for mosquitoes. Our most persistent and annoying mosquito species are container breeders. Any item left out that can collect water becomes a potential breeding site for these species. The Asian Tiger mosquito is an example of a container breeder.
Homeowners should be aware of items and locations where water collects after a rain. Toys, birdbaths, tarps, and many other locations can hold water long enough for mosquitoes to develop. These items should be emptied of water and allowed to dry out after a rainfall.
A comprehensive mosquito control program should take into account the life cycle of mosquitoes and target vulnerable life stages to eliminate the population. Breeding sites should be eliminated whenever possible, and mosquito larvae must be treated with a larvacide to prevent adult mosquitoes from developing. Adult mosquitoes prefer to rest under heavy vegetative cover during daylight hours. These areas can be treated with residual or contact insecticides to eliminate adult mosquitoes.
Mosquito control is evolving as our tools and techniques improve. You can still see government trucks out at dusk in some communities, fogging the streets. Usually these trucks are traveling to fast to properly apply the fog, and this application fails to treat the breeding sites that are the source of mosquito problems. Mist dispensers have become popular in recent years, but these products are expensive and require large containers of pesticide on the property, and likewise fail to address the breeding sites that generate the mosquitoes.