The Most Commonly Overlooked Mosquito Breeding Sites On Residential Properties In Arizona
One of the major downsides of the weather warming up and the sun coming out to welcome in the spring and summer seasons is the emergence of those seemingly ever present mosquitoes. That outdoor barbecue or pool party quickly goes from being a fun social gathering to a mosquito blood bath, with people having to constantly wear smelly bug spray and swat away their many attackers. And that doesn’t even go into the threat of the many mosquito-borne diseases these pests can transmit to humans such as West Nile virus, yellow fever, and dengue. However, people can reduce the threat of mosquitoes around their home simply by locating any pools of stagnant water on their property that could become potential breeding sites and eliminate them. This can include something as small as a bottle cap filled with rainwater, which results in many of these possible breeding sites being frequently overlooked.
Since many mosquitoes can breed in as little water as what would fill a bottle cap, many breeding sites around homes and residential neighborhoods go unnoticed. The first step to combating these blood suckers is finding those sites. Residents want to regularly monitor the areas around their yard to locate and identify the size of every source of stagnant water. These can include pet food and water bowls, bird baths, all outdoor containers, kiddy pools, tarps, open water barrels and trash bins without lids or drains, trays placed under potted plants, outdoor toys, clogged storm drains, obstructed roof gutters, blocked catchment basins, discarded appliances and car parts such as empty old tires.
Once you have located these possible breeding sites, you will want to eliminate them all. Plastic items are another commonly overlooked key breeding ground for mosquitoes. Anything from a discarded plastic bag and food/drink containers often used at large gatherings such as barbecues can easily become breeding sites for mosquitoes. You want to always remember to clean items like this up and empty rainwater out of items like children’s toys that have been left outside. By consistently monitoring for the presence of possible breeding sites and eliminating them on a regular basis, you can greatly reduce your mosquito problem. Without these breeding sites available near your home, mosquitoes will simply move on to find other ones elsewhere, keeping you free of the pests.
What are some strange possible mosquito breeding sites you’ve found around your home that you would have usually overlooked?
