Mosquito Control in Your Backyard

Are you unknowingly attracting mosquitoes to your property? Mosquitoes can breed in as little as a ½ inch of standing water, so even items containing water the size of a bottle cap may be mosquito magnets. Many people do not even realize their yard is full of potential mosquito breeding sites until they hire a professional mosquito control service. 

With mosquitoes needing very little water to breed, even small amounts of rainfall or moisture can create a host of breeding sites in your backyard. An important part of mosquito control is preventing these pests from breeding and multiplying. 

So, here are some common places where mosquitoes like to lay eggs and how to prevent them from becoming breeding sites:

Birdbaths

Your birdbaths might be attracting more than just birds. It is important to frequently change out the water in your birdbaths (about once a week), because they are very popular breeding grounds for mosquitoes. 

Kiddie pools

Backyard pools are fun, but they can also attract mosquitoes if they are not cleaned out properly. If you don’t want to take the time to empty out the pool after each use, be sure to keep it clean and covered when you are not using it.

Tire swings 

Tire swings are popular sites for mosquito breeding because they can easily collect rainwater. Empty any tires in your yard after each rainfall, or drill holes in the bottom of tire swings to let the water drain out.

Toys and buckets

Remember to empty out any toys and buckets in your yard after it rains. These items are high-risk for breeding mosquitoes.

Flower pots

Flowers need water to survive, but that also means your flower pots may attract mosquitoes in search of a breeding site. Make sure to empty out any stagnant water that has collected in your flower pots and planters. 

Gutters

If leaves have gathered in your gutters and clogged the drainage system, that can result in a buildup of stagnant water. You can prevent your gutters from becoming mosquito breeding sites by cleaning them out regularly.

Trash cans

Garbage can attract a variety of unwanted pests. After a rainfall, water can collect inside your garbage cans or even on the lids. Make sure that your garbage cans are always tightly closed and that you empty any excess water from the lids.

Pet bowls

If you have any pets, water and food bowls left outside can become popular mosquito breeding sites. We recommend emptying and replacing the water, as well as cleaning the bowl, at least once a week.

Grill covers

Just like pretty much everything else left out in your yard overnight, grill covers are prone to collecting water. Frequently check to make sure water is not gathering on the top of your grill cover, especially after heavy rainfall.

Ensuring mosquitoes do not have anywhere to thrive in your yard is a huge part of proper mosquito control. For more information on how to ensure you have a mosquito-free yard and home, check out our other blogs.

5 Things Every Mom Should Know About Mosquitoes

At Mosquito Authority, educating our customers on the potential health risks mosquitoes pose and how they can lower those risks is a big part of how we practice mosquito control. For instance, did you know kids are more susceptible to mosquito bites than anyone else? Knowing facts like this can help you make a plan for handling mosquito season.

We know the health and wellbeing of your family is your top priority, so we make it our’s, too.

To help you prepare your family for mosquito season, we put together some tips on how to stay happy and healthy while enjoying the outdoors. Here are five things we believe every mom should know about mosquitoes:

Mosquito-Proof Your Pool

There is nothing better than relaxing by the pool on a hot summer day. However, having a pool in your backyard requires extra mosquito control measures because it provides another way for mosquitoes to ruin the fun for you and your family.

If not properly maintained, your swimming pool can become a haven for mosquitoes. Why is that? Because mosquitoes need standing water in order to breed, and an ill-maintained swimming pool makes for a perfect breeding site for these pests.

Don’t worry though, Mosquito Authority has you covered! Here are some tips on how to make sure your swimming pool does not become breeding grounds for mosquitoes:

Make sure your pool is filtered

Having a proper filtration system is crucial to having a well-maintained swimming pool. Running your pool filter every few hours can help ensure your pool is clean and free of any unwanted debris.

Use a pool cover

Using a pool cover is the best way to keep unwanted debris out of your swimming pool. Keeping your pool covered when it is not in use will keep mosquitoes out and prevent them from attempting to breed there. Some mosquitoes can even survive the cold weather, so using a cover year-round will help prevent them from getting in your pool.

Clean your pool cover

While pool covers are necessary for maintenance, they also must be monitored and cleaned regularly. Mosquitoes need very little water to breed, so it is very important to limit the amount of standing water anywhere near your home. 

Pool covers tend to collect a good amount of water from rain, nearby sprinklers, and other sources, so make sure you monitor it closely and get rid of any standing water as soon as you discover it.

Get rid of standing water around your pool

Mosquitoes don’t necessarily need to be in your pool to cause trouble. If there is any standing water around your pool, in things like bird baths or children’s toys, it can draw breeding mosquitoes to your yard. You shouldn’t have to worry about being eaten alive by mosquitoes every time you go for a swim, so make sure to get rid of any standing water in your yard.

Clean your pool regularly

While this might seem obvious, cleaning your pool is one of the best ways to keep mosquitoes from making it their home. Keeping your pool clean on a regular basis is an important part of mosquito control in your backyard. 

Call Mosquito Authority

Although there are a few DIY ways to prevent mosquitoes around your home, hiring a professional mosquito control company like Mosquito Authority is the best way to get rid of these pests. Our Mosquito Control Specialists always do a thorough walk-through of your property to identify all potential breeding grounds and develop a plan for how best to eliminate them.

Our aim at Mosquito Authority is not just to get rid of mosquitoes, but to keep them away from you and your family for good. For more information on mosquito control around your home, check out our other blogs.

Mosquito-Borne Illnesses

Most people know that mosquitoes spread diseases such as malaria and West Nile Virus, but did you know they are responsible for much more than that?

Here are some of the many mosquito-borne illnesses and some tips on preventing them:

West Nile Virus

First detected in the U.S. in 1999, West Nile Virus can lead to serious complications of the liver or nervous system, encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), or paralysis. 

Malaria

Malaria was thought to have been eradicated in the United States, but was detected in mosquitoes in Fairfax County, Virginia, in 2002. Mosquitoes are considered the deadliest animal in the world due to the millions of people who have died from diseases like malaria.

Dengue Fever

A small but important risk for dengue fever exists in the United States. Travelers may introduce 100 to 200 cases into the United States each year. Symptoms of Dengue include vomiting, rash, and aches and pains.

Zika

The Zike virus is primarily spread to people who have been bitten by an infected mosquito of the Aedes species. Mosquitoes of this species are active both in the daytime and at night, and there is currently no vaccine to prevent Zika. If Zika is contracted during pregnancy, it can cause birth defects.

How you can help prevent the spread of mosquito-borne illnesses:

Contact a local pest management professional

Professional mosquito control companies can help homeowners reduce their exposure to mosquito bites by inspecting properties for mosquito breeding sites, and treating to control mosquitoes or suggesting corrective actions. At Mosquito Authority, our priority is the safety and well-being of you and your family.

Prevent breeding mosquitoes

An important part of mosquito control and prevention is making sure these pests do not have a place to breed. Eliminate or reduce mosquito breeding sites by replacing all standing water at least once a week. Potential breeding sites include bird baths, ponds, pools, and toys left out in the yard.

Get rid of yard clutter

Remove any unneeded vegetation or trash from around any standing water sources that cannot be changed, dumped or removed.

Introduce mosquito-eating fish to standing water

Some fish that eat mosquitoes include Gambusia, Green Sunfish, Bluegills, and Minnows. Introduce these fish to standing water sources in your yard, such as ponds, to reduce the chance of mosquitoes breeding.

Screen windows, doors, and other openings with mesh

Use mesh that is 18×18 strands per square inch, or finer. Seal around all screen edges, and keep doors and windows shut to prevent entry of most mosquito species.

Know when and where to avoid mosquitoes

Mosquitoes are most active during dusk and dawn, so plan accordingly if you are going to be outside during those times. 

Use insect repellent on exposed skin whenever or wherever mosquitoes are likely to bite

The most effective repellents currently available contain the active ingredient DEET, in concentrations up to about 35% (greater concentrations do not offer better protection). Also, wear long-sleeved shirts and long-legged pants, preferably treated with a repellent as well.


Mosquito control is not just important for your comfort, but for your health as well. You can visit the CDC for more information on mosquito-borne illnesses, and check out our other blogs for more mosquito control tips.

How do Mosquitoes Transmit Disease?

Did you know there are roughly 3,000 different mosquito species in the world? Out of those 3,000, about 200 species live in the United States. 

Many people may connect the height of mosquito season, occurring in the summer through early fall, to the itchy welts that accompany mosquito bites. But, there are far worse associations to make with these blood-sucking pests, such as the health threats they pose to humans in their daily lives—even in their own backyards.

Out of the thousands of mosquito species living all over the world, many have the potential for carrying and spreading various diseases. In the United States, mosquitoes are known to spread West Nile virus, eastern equine encephalitis, and chikungunya virus. These illnesses do not have specific vaccines or treatments, so year-round mosquito control is crucial. Other mosquito-borne illnesses include malaria, Dengue fever, and Zika virus.

How do mosquitoes contract a disease?

To fully understand the importance of mosquito control, let’s think about how mosquitoes can contract diseases in the first place. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the process by which mosquitoes contract and transmit illnesses is somewhat complex and generally consists of five steps:

  1. A female mosquito takes a blood meal from a human or animal host
  1. If that blood meal contains a germ, the germ must pass from the mosquito’s gut into its body. Therefore, mosquitoes can only transmit germs that can grow or multiply in their bodies.
  1. After the germ multiplies in the mosquitoes body, it travels to the salivary glands in about 2-3 weeks.
  1. Now that the germ is in the salivary glands, the mosquito can transmit it to a host. The next time the mosquito bites a person or animal, the germ passes from the salivary glands to the blood of the host. 
  1. The person or animal bitten is at risk for contracting disease.

Which mosquito spread disease? 

Now that we know how mosquitoes contract and spread disease, we can see which mosquitoes are responsible for spreading which diseases.

Aedes: Aedes mosquitoes are responsible for many well-known diseases, such as Yellow Fever, Zika virus, Dengue, and Lymphatic filariasis. 

Anopheles: Anopheles mosquitoes are responsible for the spread of probably the most well-known mosquito-borne illness in the world: malaria. Malaria takes hundreds of thousands of lives every year, particularly in areas with tropical and subtropical climates. According to the CDC, nearly half of the world’s population lives in areas at risk of malaria transmission.

Culex: Culex mosquitoes are known for spreading diseases like Japanese encephalitis and West Nile Fever.
Mosquito control is not just necessary for your comfort, but for your health as well. To learn more about mosquitoes and the diseases they carry, visit the CDC or World Health Organization websites.