Mosquito Prevention Tips and Tricks

The best way to prevent mosquitoes is to take away the water they breed in. Once a week, dump, scrub, turn over or cover anything outdoors that holds water, and clean out clogged gutters. Treat water you cannot drain, such as a pond edge or rain barrel, with a Bti larvicide. Then protect yourself: wear an EPA-registered repellent such as DEET, picaridin or IR3535, keep window and door screens repaired, and trim the shrubs and tall grass where adult mosquitoes rest. Skip bug zappers, ultrasonic gadgets and "mosquito plants," which do little. If you still have swarms after all that, a professional treatment aimed at the spots where mosquitoes rest can cut them down.

Why standing water is everything

Mosquitoes spend the first three stages of their lives (egg, larva and pupa) in water. The CDC says common container and house mosquitoes go from egg to adult in about 7 to 10 days, and the Asian tiger mosquito, Oklahoma's main daytime biter, flies only a few blocks in its life. So the mosquitoes biting you were probably raised within a short walk of where you are sitting, and a weekly water check around your home can make a real difference.

Container mosquitoes lay eggs on the inside walls of containers, just above the water. The eggs can survive drying out for months and hatch when rain fills the container again. That is why the CDC says to scrub containers, not just dump them.

Standing water checklist

Walk your yard once a week, and after every heavy rain:

• Gutters and downspouts: the University of Kentucky calls clogged gutters one of the most overlooked breeding sites around homes.
• Flower pots and saucers: empty saucers or fill them with sand. OSU advises not letting water sit in saucers or pet dishes for more than two days.
• Birdbaths: the Oklahoma State Department of Health recommends scrubbing and refilling them every three days.
• Pet water bowls outside: empty and refill daily (OSDH).
• Buckets, toys, wheelbarrows, wagons and trash cans: store them upside down or under cover, and keep lids on bins.
• Tarps, grill covers, pool covers and boat covers: pull them tight or shake out pooled water.
• Old tires: get rid of them, or drill drainage holes in tire swings.
• Kiddie pools: empty, dry and turn over when not in use.
• Swimming pools and hot tubs: keep them filtered and treated. A neglected pool can become a major breeding site.
• Rain barrels: seal them or cover openings with fine screen.
• Low spots, ruts and tree holes: fill or drain them, and fix leaky outdoor faucets and sprinklers.
• Indoors: change water in vases and plant saucers often.

Water you cannot drain

For ornamental ponds, rain barrels, flooded low spots and tree holes, use a larvicide made with Bti, a natural soil bacterium that kills mosquito larvae. The University of Kentucky notes that one donut-shaped dunk treats about 100 square feet of water surface and releases Bti over about 30 days; granular Bti works faster but shorter and suits small spots like tree holes. OSU also notes that mosquito fish (Gambusia) can help in ponds, and that insect growth regulator granules can be spread on areas that will not drain. Follow the label.

Trim the places mosquitoes rest

Adult mosquitoes spend the day in cool, damp shade: shrubs, ivy and groundcover, tall grass, weedy fence lines and under decks. The CDC notes house mosquitoes rest in grass, shrubs and thick vegetation. Keep the lawn mowed, thin dense shrubs near the patio, clear brush and leaf piles, and fill in low spots that stay soggy. Fewer resting spots near the house means fewer bites.

Protect yourself: repellent and clothing

The CDC recommends repellents registered with the EPA, which means the maker showed the EPA that the product works. Look for one of these active ingredients:

How to use it, from the CDC:

• Follow the label, and reapply as directed.
• Put on sunscreen first, then repellent.
• Do not put repellent under clothing.
• For children, spray it on your hands and apply it to them. Avoid their hands, eyes, mouth, cuts and irritated skin. Cover strollers and baby carriers with netting.
• Wear loose, long sleeves and pants. Clothing and gear treated with permethrin repels and kills mosquitoes through several washes. Never put permethrin on skin.

The CDC says it does not know how well repellents that are not EPA-registered work, including many "natural" and homemade sprays. Use a registered product, especially in late summer when West Nile virus is active in Oklahoma.

Keep mosquitoes out of the house

• Repair or install window and door screens, and replace torn screen doors.
• Use air conditioning when you can.
• Close doors quickly in the evening, and do not prop them open.
• Seal gaps around window units, doors and pipes.
• Change water in vases, plant saucers and pet bowls indoors.

What does not work (or barely works)

• Bug zappers: the University of Kentucky says mosquitoes are only a tiny share of what they kill. Most of the catch is harmless night-flying insects.
• Ultrasonic repellers: "save your money," the University of Kentucky says.
• Mosquito-repelling plants: UF/IFAS experts say citronella, lavender, mint, basil and marigolds contain repellent oils, but growing them in the garden does little; the oils have to be extracted and applied.
• Citronella candles: limited protection, and only close by. Several candles around a table work better than one.
• Bat houses and purple martin houses: bats and martins eat mosquitoes, but mosquitoes are a small part of their diet, so these will not noticeably reduce bites (University of Kentucky).
• Yellow "bug lights": they attract fewer insects than white bulbs but do not repel mosquitoes.

Mosquito myths

• "All mosquitoes bite." Only females bite. They need blood to make eggs. Males feed on nectar.
• "Mosquitoes only come out at night." The Asian tiger mosquito bites mostly in the afternoon. See when mosquitoes are most active.
• "A little water won't matter." A bottle cap or a plant saucer is enough for container mosquitoes.
• "Spraying once takes care of it." New mosquitoes keep hatching from any water left behind, and others fly in from neighboring yards.

Mosquito season prep

1. Late winter: clean gutters, fill low spots, get rid of old tires and containers, and fix screens.
2. Spring: start the weekly water check as soon as the rains begin, and put Bti in ponds and rain barrels.
3. Summer: keep up the weekly check, wear repellent from late afternoon on, and treat resting spots if bites build.
4. Fall: keep going until the first hard freeze; warm fall days still bring mosquitoes.

For which mosquitoes show up when, see the Oklahoma mosquito ID guide. For more ways to enjoy your outdoor space, see keeping your patio and deck pest-free.

When to call a professional

Water control is the foundation, but you cannot drain your neighbor's yard, and floodwater mosquitoes can come in from fields and creeks. When mosquitoes are still keeping you inside, a professional treatment helps. Emtec's mosquito treatment combines an adulticide, which kills adult mosquitoes, with an insect growth regulator, which stops eggs and young mosquitoes from developing. We apply it with a backpack mister to the shrubs, foliage and shady spots where mosquitoes rest, including under decks and the undersides of leaves. Planning a graduation party, wedding or cookout? We can treat your yard in the days before the event. Our guide to DIY vs. professional pest control explains when a pro makes sense.

Mosquito exterminator in Tulsa and Oklahoma City

If you have done the weekly water check and are still getting chased inside, call a mosquito exterminator. Emtec Pest Control has served Oklahoma homes since 1979. We serve Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Owasso, Jenks, Bixby, Sand Springs, Sapulpa, Stillwater, Oklahoma City, Edmond and nearby towns. Learn about our mosquito control service or contact us.