Get your mind into the gutter for mosquito control

Over the past month, I noticed mosquito problems in my backyard were getting progressively worse.

I’m not claiming to be a model pest management professional, but I clean out my gutters every fall, and I try to inspect my property weekly to address any conducive pest conditions.
Guessing that I overlooked something on the last inspection, I launched a full-scale search to find the source. I emptied self-watering pots, purged the yard of Frisbees and dog toys that would catch rainwater, and removed anything else that could be an issue. But nothing I found seemed to be a likely culprit.

The author’s gutter, pre-cleanout. (Photo: Dr. Michael Bentley)

Frustrated and defeated, I put a pause on the inspection to tackle other yard work that had been neglected while I was solving the mosquito mystery.

I was trimming some bushes at the top of the ladder when I noticed the tell-tale glimmer of standing water in one of my gutters. I hadn’t been checking the gutters during my weekly inspections, because I assumed they were still clear from the thorough cleaning I gave them last fall. A closer look, however, revealed that one of the downspouts was backed up with debris. As a result, a short section of the gutter was holding about a quarter inch of water. That may not sound like much, but this was more than enough water to stock my yard with mosquitoes for the rest of the summer.

It was a simple fix to remove the clog and drain the standing water, but it was a frustrating reminder of how fast problems can develop. During the peak summer months, mosquitoes can complete their life cycle in just over a week. Plus, in the hunt for stagnant water, gutters are a prime location that can quickly become ground zero for mosquito development if you aren’t checking them regularly.

<p>The post Get your mind <i>into</i> the gutter for mosquito control first appeared on Pest Management Professional.</p>

from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2024/07/17/get-your-mind-into-the-gutter-for-mosquito-control/
Sacramento CA