How to Prevent Mosquitoes From Breeding in Your Yard

Mosquitoes need standing water to breed. Their kids start out as little worm-like creatures that breathe through their asses and eat algae and bacteria until they’re ready to become the biting, flying enemies we all know so well. This is why you should cover or empty any containers that collect water weekly. But what about puddles, potholes, and containers like rainwater barrels that can’t be easily covered or dumped? That’s what mosquito dunks are for.

What are mosquito dunks?

Mosquito dunks are donut-shaped balls that can be floated in one of these water sources. (You can also thread a string or stake through the hole if you need a way to keep it in place.) As it dissolves, it releases bacteria that the mosquito larvae eat. So far, it sounds great for mosquitoes.

But the bacteria in dunks is Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti), which is harmless to humans and most animals, but poisonous to baby mosquitoes. You can safely use them in fish ponds or birdbaths, and the EPA notes that while Bti also kills midge larvae and mosquitoes, it does not affect honey bees or most other insect species.

Here are a few mosquito repellents to look out for:

• These dunks last 30 days and cover 100 square feet of water. (You can break the dunk into chunks to treat small areas.)
• Mosquito bits are the same idea as dunks but in a smaller form.
• Do you have many mosquito breeding sites? Buy dunks in bulk .

Do mosquito dunks really work?

Unlike many yard hacks that repel mosquitoes, mosquito dunks are completely legal. Both the CDC and the EPA recommend them for standing water that you can’t close or drain. These can be decorative elements in your yard, such as carp ponds and bird bowls, or places where water accidentally collects, such as gutters or ditches that fill with water, or unused pools. (For swimming pools that are actually in use, chlorine is enough to keep mosquitoes out.)

Note that dunks prevent mosquitoes from breeding but do not kill existing mosquitoes. This means that you should not expect an immediate reduction in their numbers from using a dunk. But their life cycle is short , from a few days to a few weeks, depending on the species and climate. This means that if you eliminate areas where larvae can thrive, you will likely see a decrease in mosquito numbers later in the summer.

If you want to speed up the process, you can try using a dunk to create a ” Bucket of Destiny “. This is a trap for mother mosquitoes to lay their eggs in a beautiful, swampy bucket that you accidentally treated with makcom.