Getting rid of standing water around the yard is one of the best ways to help control mosquitoes where you live. Mosquitoes live in standing water for at least a week before they start flying. Check your yard once a week for containers holding standing water and dump out the water. Dispose of the containers if you can. If you need to keep the containers, store them in a way that they are unlikely to hold water — put them inside or tip them over so they don’t collect water.
If you have areas in your yard that do not drain properly, try to fill them in so that they do not hold water. If you have standing water that you cannot get rid of that lasts for more than one week, consider treating it with a larvicide to help control mosquitoes. Some examples of places that can hold standing water include:
- Roof gutters.
- Downspout extensions.
- Artificial containers.
- Old tires.
- Bird baths.
- Ornamental ponds.
- Tarps on woodpiles.
- Drainage ditches.