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Where Do Mosquitoes Lurk in Greenville Backyards?

Posted by Mosquito Squad

December 20, 2023

Mosquito season is in full swing here in Greenville, and if you’re like me, you are doing your best to keep the pests out of your yard. To be successful at this endeavor, you need to know a little about where mosquitoes like to hang out in your yard. Remember that mosquitoes really need two things for life – water and plants. Water is an essential component of breeding since female mosquitoes must have standing water in which to lay their eggs. Plants are necessary because, contrary to popular belief, mosquitoes eat more plant juices than blood. Only female mosquitoes feed on blood, and they only do this in preparation to lay eggs. At all other times, they eat plant juices like their male counterparts.

So let’s take a look at a normal yard and see where mosquitoes might be lurking.

common backyard mosquito sources1. Saucers Underneath Potted Plants – These saucers catch overflow from watering and rainwater. They are perfect places for females to lay eggs.

2. Water Bowls for Pets – If your pet isn’t outdoors a lot and doesn’t consume the water, it will become stagnant and start drawing mosquitoes in.

3. Children’s Toys – Most toys have many divots and crevices where rainwater collects. Even a teaspoon of stagnant water will attract mosquitoes.

4. Fountains and Bird Baths – Even if it is not rainwater, still water attracts females.

5. Ponds – Having no outlets, ponds are filled with old, still water and are prefect mosquito breeding grounds.

6. Neglected Pools – Like ponds, neglected pools are filled with brackish water. Mosquitoes won’t be far away.

7. Buckets – If they are left out after gardening, buckets are perfect water catchers and perfect mosquito breeding grounds.

Mosquito larvae hatch in standing water. 8. Grass Clippings – Piles of grass clippings are oozing with plant juices. They’re really like a mosquito buffet.

9. Leaky Hoses – Saturated ground can create enough standing water to allow breeding. Even though it is only a little, mosquitoes will find it.

10. Holes in Trees – Cool, damp, and offering plenty of plant juices, holes in trees give mosquitoes perfect places to call home.

11. Clogged Gutters – Typically, gutters become clogged with plant refuse like leaves and pollen. Blockages cause water to pool and emit plenty of plant odors that mosquitoes find irresistible.

12. Uncovered Boats – Water will pool in the bottom of boats like it does in buckets. Especially if the area is undisturbed, it can become a mosquito haven.

13. Tires – Whether they are used as swings or exercise equipment, water will collect in old tires too.

14. Open Trash Bins – Water can collect in this area, and with decaying plant material likely present, they will be mosquito magnets.

Yards are filled with mosquito habitats we rarely consider, but now that you know where mosquitoes lurk in your yard, you can do something about it. Eliminate standing water by turning over items that could collect it. Change water in birdbaths every day or so. If you have a fountain or pool, be sure it is not neglected and that the water is circulating. Also, be sure to clear away plant refuse once you are finished trimming your lawn.

Finally, call Mosquito Squad of Greenville. Even if you are able to eliminate all standing water, you will still have some mosquitoes living on your property, but they can be easily eliminated with our mosquito barrier treatments. So call us today at (864) 362-2013 or visit ourMosquito Squad of Greenville website. Get rid of the lurkers and take back your yard.