Mosquitoes; the little vampires that annoy us throughout the summer. We all hear about them reproducing in bodies of water, does that include ponds and water features?
This is a common question we get asked. "Do ponds attract mosquitoes?" The answer, they can, however they don't have to. There are things we can do to help the mosquitoes make the decision to go elsewhere to reproduce.
We'll go over how you can prevent mosquitoes from laying eggs in your water feature.
Does Having a Pond or Water Feature Attract Mosquitoes?
A pond or water feature can attract mosquitoes if they aren't constructed properly. Mosquito management should initially rely on prevention rather than removal or killing them, prevention is the easiest method to keeping mosquitoes away.
Stagnant Water that isn't moving creates the perfect environment for larvae to grow, they don't need much of it either. Ponds with no water movement are at risk of mosquitoes moving in.
Larvae prefer ponds under 2 feet deep. Shallow water offers a better environment for their growth.
If not constructed properly, a pond can attract mosquitoes as well as other water quality related issues and pests.
How To Prevent Mosquitoes From Laying Eggs in Your Pond
There are some things we can do to prevent mosquitoes from laying eggs, ensuring you keep your pond under these conditions will help you in preventing mosquito larvae and future mosquito issues.
Prevention methods are as follows:
Keep Water Moving
Mosquito larvae like stagnant water that doesn't move. If we keep the water moving, the mosquitoes will look for other preferable water sources. We can get the water moving by installing a fountain in the feature, installing a water fall or proper filtration that ensures adequate water movement.
Prevent Algae
Larvae feed on algae, keeping your water feature free on algae will help ensure the mosquitoes either look elsewhere before laying the eggs, or the larvae won't have a sufficient food source.
Add Aquatic Species
Some fish species such as goldfish will seek out and eat mosquito larvae, adding these fish will help keep your pond free from mosquito larvae and will also help scare off the mosquitoes. Koi on the other hand, will not seek out the larvae. When choosing a species for your feature, look into their habits.
Remove Dead Plant Materials
Dead plant and other plant materials offer food, shelter and hiding places for larvae. It also protects them from the sun. Removing excess plant material and dead plant material will help ensure larvae don't stand a chance in your feature.
Make Your Pond Deeper
Larvae prefer shallow ponds less than 24 inches deep. If you ensure your water feature is deeper than 24 inches with steep slopes rather than gradual slopes, your feature will not be preferable to mosquitoes when looking for a place to lay their eggs. Just ensure if you make your pond deeper that it has adequate water movement at the bottom to help prevent water quality issues.
Following these prevention methods will greatly reduce the chance of mosquitoes choosing your water feature for a breeding ground.
If all else fails, a larvicide can be used to kill off the larvae.
Q: Have you had issues with mosquitoes laying eggs? What have you tried that worked or didn't work? | Comment Below
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