Lafayette County Master Gardeners: “Mosquitos”

Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water. Because they are blood-sucking insects, they may transmit several diseases, such as malaria and West Nile virus. Mosquitoes are best controlled by using multiple strategies.
Control efforts should always begin with education! Learn about mosquitoes, where they breed, how people can prevent mosquito breeding, and personal protection measures available to use against them.

PROTECTION

• Cover arms and legs with long sleeves and long skirts or pants.
• Avoid mosquito-prone areas in the mornings and evenings when mosquitoes are most active.
• USE a recommended mosquito repellent containing Deet, Picaridin, or IR3535
  * Aerosol or pump sprays apply the product evenly over skin and clothing.
  * Use creams, lotions, or sticks to cover small areas of exposed skin.
  * Immediately wash with soap and water to remove repellents off skin when you return indoors.
  * Always keep insect repellents out of the reach of children.
• USE Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (p-Mentane-3,8-diol, or PMD) which is the synthetic form of an ingredient in eucalyptus leaves and twigs. Oil of lemon eucalyptus has been tested against mosquitoes found in the United States and provides protection similar to repellents with 15%-20% concentrations of DEET. Oil of lemon eucalyptus products should not be used on children under the age of three, as it has not been assessed on this age group.
• NOTE lemon eucalyptus oil should not replace Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus. Lemon eucalyptus oil has not been assessed nor approved as an effective repellent.
• DON’T
  * Apply products to eyes, lips, mouth, over cuts, wounds, or irritated skin.
  * Over-apply to the skin or saturate clothing.
  * Apply to skin beneath clothing, or to skin that is not exposed.
  * Apply more often than recommended on the product label.

PREVENTION

• Remove sources of standing water around your home where mosquitoes can breed; ensure window screens are intact.
• Discard or empty tin cans, old tires, buckets, unused plastic swimming pools, or other containers that collect and hold water. Empty flowerpot saucers, urns, or pet dishes every two days.
• Clean debris from rain gutters. Be sure flat roofs are not holding water.
• Check faucets and air conditioner units for leaks and repair as needed.
• Change the water in birdbaths and wading pools weekly or more often.
• Stock ornamental pools with top-feeding predacious minnows, also known as mosquito fish, or treat ornamental pools with biorational larvicides [Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis (Bti), “Mosquito Dunks” and “Mosquito Bits,” Wellmark International’s Pre-Strike Mosquito Torpedo that kills developing mosquitoes using insect growth regulator (IGR) technology.
• Fill or drain puddles, ditches, and swampy areas. Fill tree holes and stumps with mortar.
• Eliminate seepage from cisterns, cesspools, and septic tanks.
• Eliminate standing water around watering troughs. Flush livestock water troughs twice a week.
• Check for trapped water in tarps used to cover boats, pools, or other items. Arrange the tarp to drain the water.
• Ensure that proper backfilling and grading prevent drainage problems after construction or other projects.
• Irrigate lawns and gardens carefully to prevent standing water.
• If ditches do not flow and water stagnates for more than five days, they can produce large numbers of mosquitoes. Report such conditions to the Public Health Office before clearing, as they may be protected by wetland regulations.
• The LarvaSonic uses sound energy transmitted into water at the resonant frequency of the mosquito larvae air bladders. The device instantly ruptures the internal tissue and causes mosquito larval death.

References:
Mississippi State Dept. of Health
MSU Publication P3826 By Jerome Goddard, PhD, Extension Professor, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology; and Kristine T. Edwards, PhD, former Senior Extension Associate, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology.
American Mosquito Control Association
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Mosquito Control/Integrated Pest Management