Mosquito Infestation
easy 30–90 min
Tools: gloves, bucket, gutter scoop, flashlight · Materials: mosquito dunks (Bti) for standing water you cannot empty, window screen repair patches, oscillating fan for the patio
Steps
- Walk the garden after rain and tip out every container holding water — plant saucers, buckets, toys, tarps, wheelbarrows; a bottle cap is enough for larvae.
- Clear gutters and check that downspouts drain away; change bird-bath water twice a week.
- Drop a Bti dunk into rain barrels, ponds without fish, and drains that hold water — safe for pets and wildlife.
- Repair torn window and door screens with patches.
- Run a fan on the patio in the evening — mosquitoes are weak fliers and avoid moving air; trim dense shrubs where they rest during the day.
Stop and call a pro if
- the source is standing water on a neighbour's property or a public ditch — a council or municipal matter
- you want yard-wide spraying — it should target resting sites and avoid pollinators, which is a licensed job in most places
- someone in the household reacts strongly to bites or there is a local disease alert
What a pro does that you can't
A pest technician treats resting sites with residual products safely, installs larvicide programmes for water you cannot remove, and sets up automatic misting where infestations are severe.
DIY cost: $10–30 for dunks and screen patches