Summertime and the living is easy, for the mosquitoes, that is.

Mosquitoes have been around for more than 30 million years and it doesn’t seem likely that they will be going away anytime soon. Only the female of the species bites. She is attracted to heat, light, perspiration, body odor, lactic acid and carbon dioxide. Mosquitoes are annoying. Their bites hurt, swell and itch but that isn’t the worst of it, with the increasing concerns over the mosquito transmitted diseases like West Nile Virus, they can prove to be deadly. It is in everyone’s best interest to keep them as far away as possible. But how?

Rid Your Yard of Standing Water

Most people already know that mosquitoes breed in standing water, but did you know that even a capful of water is enough? Mosquitoes prefer to breed in water that is being held in a container, not puddles on the ground. To keep your yard free of mosquitoes, the first thing you need to do is remove anything that can hold standing water.

Things to Check Weekly

• Bird Baths (If you must keep one, change the water weekly.)
• Tire Swings (Dump the water that gathers inside after every rainfall.)
• Clogged Gutters (Keep them leaf free.)
• Outdoor Pet Bowls (Change the water daily.)
• Holes in Trees (Fill them.)
• Flower Pots (Make sure they have good drainage capabilities.)
• Toys (Keep all toys in a sealable container and check that the lid is water-free.)
• Patio Furniture and Decorations (Candles, bowls, etc.)
• Trash Cans (Keep the lids on tightly.)
• Rubbish (Make a weekly sweep of your yard to find any empty bottles, lids or cans that may have found their way into your yard.)

Fish Ponds

If you have a fish pond in your yard, be sure to keep it stocked with mosquito-eating fish such as goldfish or Koi. Where there are fish, there are no mosquitoes. If you have a water garden or something like a drainage ditch in your yard, try using a product that contains the bacteria known as Bti, or Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis. This bacterium destroys the larvae of mosquitoes. It is usually found as a floating donut-shaped object and needs to be replaced once a month. This product can be found in most hardware stores and is considered safe for the environment.