Mosquitoes are a pain, and with the spread of West Nile virus into Oregon, they are also a health threat. Mosquitoes don’t fly very far from where they are born. One Dutch study showed the females will fly up to 150 meters to find food (that’s us!), but generally they stick pretty close to the place they are hatched. This is exciting news, because it means that if you and all your neighbors are vigilant about eliminating breeding places, you might be able to significantly reduce the numbers of pests around your home.
Mosquitoes only need an area of water as big as a quarter to lay eggs and hatch! Places to look are plant saucers and all the old nursery pots on the side of the house. (Nursery pots can be recycled in your blue bin by the way, no need to hold on to them.) Standing water in a gutter that’s backed up is a great place for mosquitoes as well.
Mosquitoes only need a few days to go from egg to hatched, so if you have a bird bath, please commit to hosing it out fresh every couple of days. And speaking of hoses, a surprising place to find enough water for mosquitoes is in an unused hose. Hang the hose up if possible, let it drain, and try to get all the water out if you won’t be using it for a while. Look for tiny puddles around children’s play equipment, your stored canoe or boat, in a tarp on the woodpile, etc. Get the kids involved, tell them they are water detectives and you need their help to find any tiny bit of standing water around the house and garden.
If we all do this and encourage our neighbors to do the same, we will have a less itchy summer!