Managing Mosquitoes Around Your Pond
A pond can be a great feature that adds value to your yard, but it can also add mosquitoes. In this post we’re discussing why ponds attract mosquitoes and how to keep them from ruining a relaxing water feature.
Why Mosquitoes Like Your Pond as Much as You
Without water mosquitoes can’t exist. Their lives revolve around water, from mating to eating to breeding. If you have a pond this could be the perfect real estate for mosquitoes if it isn’t set up right.
Mosquitoes love shallow, stagnant water. If they find a shallow pool that remains stagnant for more than a week they’ll start laying their eggs, which float on the surface of the water. Unfortunately, a week is all it takes for an egg to develop into a mosquito. If your pond is shallow and/or still there’s a good chance mosquitoes are eying it if they haven’t already.
Two other water features that also attract mosquitoes are rain barrels and bird baths. This is due to their standing water, and if they are located near your pond it can encourage mosquito activity there as well. In order to have features like these without the mosquitoes you’ll need to change out the water at least once a week.
Ways to Keep Mosquitoes from Taking Over Your Pond
A fountain or waterfall is one of the best ways to keep mosquitoes out of your pond. They are attractive features, but more importantly they keep the water moving so that mosquitoes have difficulty breeding. The surface movement (wave action) from the fountain will help to deter egg laying and destroy mosquito larvae. The movement of the water also adds oxygen into the mix, which is good for fish.
Adding fish to the pond is another natural way of controlling a mosquito population. Fish, particularly top feeders, will feed on the larvae stopping them before they can develop into pesky insects. Amphibians, dragonflies and birds also feed on larvae, and to a lesser extent mosquitoes, so don’t shoo away these types of animals.
A larvacide is also a solution for handling mosquito larvae before they reach adulthood. It is organic, safe for other animals and only targets the larvae. Just keep in mind a little bit goes a long way.
Limit the vegetation in the pond, but add plants around it. When you have an abundance of nutrients in your pond it can result in a forest of submersed plants. These give mosquitoes and larvae more coverage to hide in and helps protect them from the wave action created by a fountain. To keep nutrients in check avoid using fertilizer near your pond. On the flip side, plants around the perimeter can block nutrients from getting in the pond and provide a safe haven for mosquito predators. Keep the area around the pond mowed, but be careful to clean up any clippings that make their way to the water.
Already have a mosquito problem around your pond? The Alabama mosquito control experts at Vulcan Termite and Pest Control, Inc. can help you take back your pond so you can focus on relaxing rather than swatting.
Original Source: https://www.vulcantermite.com/garden-pest-control/managing-mosquitoes-around-your-pond/