Some homeowners are reluctant of installing a water feature in their yard fearing it would only attract mosquitoes.
It’s only natural to worry as these blood-sucking insects are associated with a number of potential diseases, with the West Nile virus being the most recent threat to California.
A water feature, however, when properly maintained, can keep mosquitoes at bay.
How To Get Rid of Mosquitoes Outdoors
If you already have a pond installed in your yard and feel that mosquitoes ruin your day of fun and are causing you headaches, then it’s high time to deal with these annoying visitors. Let’s talk about few tips how you can do this the natural way.
Get Rid of Standing Water. Mosquitoes reproduce in water. If you eliminate standing water, you also prevent mosquitoes from breeding. Any area in your yard can serve as a potential breeding ground for mosquitoes. While it could take up to 14 days before a mosquito fully develops, it’s best to take immediate action. Look into children’s toys, pet dishes, buckets, and other tools in your yard such as a shovel or wheelbarrow. Empty them with water and consider turning them over when when not in use. Watch out as well for standing water when irrigating your plants.
Ensure Regular Maintenance. Clean after piles of twigs and leaves sitting on your yard. Check your pond as well for water that may have been trapped between the stones and consider filling them up with gravel. Thick aquatic plants crowding the water surface serves as a refuge for mosquitoes. Trim them and remove dead leaves or grass to allow water to circulate.
Encourage Water Movement. Mosquitoes love non-flowing water. Consider installing a feature in your pond such as a fountain or waterfalls. This will help break the surface area and encourage movement in the water, hence keeping mosquito-laying eggs at bay.
Add Hungry Fish. Fish don’t prevent mosquitoes from laying eggs on the water, but they do feed on larvae and prevent them from developing into adult mosquitoes. Koi does not target larvae so you might want to add small fish to your pond such as goldfish and guppies. These types of fish will go along well with your koi and come after the mosquito larvae.
For your family’s safety, it’s important to take necessary precautions against mosquitoes. Manage mosquitoes as early as possible, and enjoy your pond in and day out with the help of these tips to getting rid of mosquitoes.