Eliminate all standing water weekly

What to Do

Walk your property weekly and remove or drain every source of standing water. Empty birdbaths, plant saucers, and pet bowls. Store wheelbarrows, buckets, and containers upside down. Clear clogged gutters. Drill drainage holes in tire swings and recycling bins. Cover rain barrels with fine mesh screening. Fix leaky outdoor faucets and AC drip lines.

Why It Works

Mosquitoes must have standing water to breed — without it, they cannot reproduce. A single female lays 100-300 eggs per batch, and larvae can develop in as little as a bottle cap of water. This is consistently the first recommendation from every university extension service.

Tips

• Re-inspect within 24-48 hours after any rainfall for new water accumulation
• Check tarps, boat covers, and pool covers for pooled water
• Change birdbath water at least twice weekly if you want to keep them
• This alone dramatically reduces local populations but won't eliminate mosquitoes if neighbors have breeding sites