Mosquitos– Summer means it is Mosquito season! We can help limit their numbers in Rutledge by minimizing the amount of standing water available.
Neighborly Strategies to Help Control Mosquitoes
If you are experiencing mosquitoes in your yard, it’s probably because they are breeding in standing water from kiddie pools, bird baths, or even flowerpot saucers. According the the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, you can help control mosquitoes by removing standing water where mosquitoes lay eggs:
- Once a week, empty and scrub, turn over, or cover any items that hold water like tires, buckets, planters, toys, kiddie pools, birdbaths, flowerpot saucers, or trash containers.
- Tightly cover water storage containers (buckets, cisterns, rain barrels) so mosquitoes cannot get inside to lay eggs.
- Fill tree holes to prevent them from filling with water.
- Clean out and drain your rain gutters.
Consider Plants that work as natural repellents!
| Cat Nip | Mint* | Lavender | Citronella | Marigold | Rosemary | Basil | Allium |
*While Mint is a repellent, it is highly aggressive, and a planter should be considered.
Do a yearly check to:
- Dispose of tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots or similar water-holding containers that have accumulated on your property.
- Clean clogged roof gutters on an annual basis, particularly if the leaves from surrounding trees have a tendency to plug up the drains.
- Change water in birdbaths and wading pools on a weekly basis.
- Aerate ornamental pools or stock them with fish.
- Clean and chlorinate swimming pools that are not being used. Be aware that mosquitoes may even breed in the water that collects on swimming pool covers!