Reduction of mosquito population

Eliminate potential breeding sites

Female mosquitoes need water to lay their eggs. Some mosquitoes, such as the exotic tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) and the common house mosquito (Culex pipiens), have adapted to urban areas and use both natural breeding sites (tree and rock cavities, puddles and ponds) and artificial breeding sites (buckets, vases, car tires, gutters, rainwater barrels). The best way to reduce mosquito populations is therefore to ensure that there is as little standing water as possible in the surrounding area. Here are a few tips you can easily apply at home:

  • Empty stagnant water and put empty flower pots, used car tires, containers, buckets and children's toys indoors or under a roof, or turn them upside down.
  • Avoid leaving water on plastic sheeting; stretch it out.
  • Change pet drinkers or bird baths weekly.
  • Sand or refresh flower pots weekly.
  • Cover water tanks, such as buckets, rain barrels and wells, with mosquito netting or a lid.
  • Maintain swimming pools: make sure the filter is working properly, treat with chlorine. If they're covered with a tarpaulin, avoid leaving water in them.
  • Clean and repair gutters regularly.
  • Cemetery maintenance: regularly change the water in flower vases, repair damaged headstones.
  • At the start of winter, carefully clean possible mosquito breeding sites with a brush to remove any deposited eggs. Make sure that waste water does not end up in a sewer, but is poured onto the grass to prevent eggs, if present, from continuing to develop.

 

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Deploying and protecting natural predators

Mosquitoes are part of the ecosystem A complex natural system of interactions between living groups (animals, plants, micro-organisms, etc.) and their environment. and are themselves the prey of many other animals at all stages of their lives. As larvae or nymphs, they are eaten by dragonfly larvae, aquatic beetles, salamanders and fish. Adult mosquitoes are preyed upon by frogs, bats, spiders and birds. A balanced ecosystem A complex natural system of interactions between living groups (animals, plants, micro-organisms, etc.) and their environment. will attract these natural predators and thus help to reduce the nuisance caused by mosquitoes. You could, for example, introduce fish into an ornamental pond, introduce other natural enemies of mosquitoes in or around the garden, or plant an abundance and variety of vegetation.