The Standing Water You Are Missing

A mosquito can complete its life cycle in a bottle cap of water. The sources people miss are almost never obvious ponds. They are clogged gutters, plant saucers, tarp folds, French drains and the corrugated downspout extension nobody has looked inside in three years.

The ones people always find

Bird baths, pet bowls, buckets and kiddie pools. Good. Keep doing that, weekly, because eggs stick to the sides and a quick tip out leaves them ready for the next fill.

The ones people walk past

• Gutters. A slight sag holds a shallow line of water all season and it is invisible from the ground.
• Plant saucers. Especially under pots on a patio, where they stay shaded and never dry out.
• Corrugated downspout extensions. The ridges hold water even when the ground is dry.
• Tarps, grill covers and trampoline safety pads. Any fold becomes a container.
• French drains and catch basins. Out of sight, permanently damp, and a genuinely productive breeding site.
• Boat covers, wheelbarrows and upturned frisbees.
• Tree holes and stumps that collect water in a hollow.

What to do about the ones you cannot drain

Some water cannot be removed, like a French drain or a low spot that stays wet for days. That water gets larvicide, which is a targeted treatment that stops larvae developing without harming the rest of the yard. It is part of our program for exactly this reason.

The weekly walk

Ten minutes, once a week, turning things over. It is the least glamorous mosquito advice there is and it outperforms every gadget on the market.

See our mosquito control program and season pricing