Edit Article

wikiHow to Control Mosquitoes

Three Methods:Reducing Breeding AreasMaking Your Yard Inhospitable to MosquitoesProtecting YourselfCommunity Q&A

Mosquitoes can ruin a perfectly nice evening outside. Not only are they annoying, but they can also spread dangerous diseases like West Nile. To protect yourself from these pests, it's important to take a multifaceted approach. There are many steps you can take to prevent mosquitoes from breeding on your property and getting into your home. There are also some simple precautions you can take to protect yourself from bites in areas that have large mosquito populations. Larger mosquito control programs are usually organized by city or county governments, and you may be able to report problematic mosquito activity to these organizations.

Reducing Breeding Areas

  1. 1
    Check your property for standing water. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in stagnant water, so the first step to reducing the number of mosquitoes on your property is to eliminate as much stagnant water from your property as possible.[1]
    • Remove any unnecessary basins you may have in your yard, including wheel barrows, buckets, and temporary swimming pools. If these items must remain outside, turn them upside down when not in use.
    • Clear your gutters frequently. They often get clogged with leaves and other debris, which can hold small amounts of water.
    • Even leaves on your lawn can provide enough water for mosquito larvae, so be sure to rake them up promptly.
    • Add topsoil to low areas that tend to accumulate water. In extreme cases, you may need to regrade your yard to improve drainage.
    • If any of your trees have rotted areas where water accumulates, fill the holes with mortar.
  2. 2
    Treat standing water that must remain. Sometimes it is not possible to eliminate all standing water. If you have a bird bath or a pond, for example, you can treat the water with larvicides that you can purchase at most gardening or home improvement stores. Most of these products contain either methoprene or Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis, neither of which are believed to be toxic to humans, pets, fish, or birds when used appropriately.[2]
    • Read the directions carefully to determine how often you must reapply the larvicide. Protection can last for a month or more, but it depends on the amount of water being treated.
    • If you have a swimming pool, be sure to treat the water that accumulates on the cover during the off-season.
  3. 3
    Refresh necessary water frequently. If you have sources of water that cannot be treated, be sure to dump the water out and refill it every few days in order to interrupt the mosquito life cycle. Adult mosquitoes can emerge in less than two weeks after eggs are laid, so never let the water sit for longer than that.[3]
    • If you have items such as outdoor tarps that accumulate small amounts of water, tend to them regularly to ensure that water never stands for more than a few days at a time.
  4. 4
    Report possible breeding grounds. If you are aware of possible mosquito breeding grounds that are not on your property, you should report them to the appropriate agency.
    • Many cities and counties have vector control agencies, which are responsible for controlling the populations of disease-spreading pests. If your area does not have such an agency, report the issue to your local public health department.
    • Whether the area is on public land or private property, the appropriate agency in your area may be able to take steps to remedy the problem.

Making Your Yard Inhospitable to Mosquitoes

  1. 1
    Introduce natural predators. In addition to treating standing water with larvicide, you can also introduce species that like to feed on mosquito larvae. Try stocking ponds with top feeding predacious minnows.[4]
    • Controlling adult mosquitoes is more challenging. It may help to attract predators such as bats, birds, dragonflies, and frogs to your yard. You can do so by providing nesting areas for bats and birds and a garden and pond for dragonflies and frogs.
    • You might also consider raising chickens in your yard to help control your mosquito population.[5]
  2. 2
    Keep grass mowed and shrubs trimmed. Adult mosquitoes like to lounge in shrubs and tall grass, so try to eliminate these habitats as much as possible. This is especially important in areas very close to your house.[6]
  3. 3
    Have your yard sprayed with a suitable pesticide. If you have a serious mosquito problem in your yard, you may want to consider contacting a company to have it professionally treated with chemicals. These treatments are typically effective for several weeks at a time. The active ingredient is most often Pyrethrum, which kills most insects, but is believed to pose a low toxicity risk for humans.[7]
    • If you are concerned about killing beneficial insects or overusing pesticides, you can also purchase non-residual fogs, which repel mosquitoes for short periods of time, but do not harm beneficial insects. These products are ideal for use right before an outdoor gathering.
  4. 4
    Use Citronella around your yard. Citronella is an organic insect repellent that is available in various forms, such as candles and oils. It is effective in repelling mosquitoes, but only in very small areas.[8]
    • If you are gathering for an outdoor meal, place several citronella candles on the table for the best results.
  5. 5
    Consider a mosquito trap. There are many different kinds of mosquito traps on the market, and most of them have mixed reviews. There is little independent evidence that proves that bug zappers, ultrasonic repellents, vacuum traps, or similar devices are particularly effective, but you may find that one of these products does work for you.[9]
    • There are new products coming out all the time. Before you purchase one, research it thoroughly and ask the manufacturer if they offer a satisfaction guarantee.
  6. 6
    Use fans. Using an outdoor fan in the immediate area where you will be spending time outdoors may help repel mosquitoes. This technique is especially helpful for outdoor meals, when everyone will remain in one area.[10]

Protecting Yourself

  1. 1
    Avoid peak mosquito hours. If possible, try not to be outdoors at dawn and dusk, when many species of mosquitoes are most active. Keep in mind that mosquitoes are also most active when the weather is warm and humid.[11]
  2. 2
    Wear protective clothing. If you are planning on being outdoors during a time when you know there will be a lot of mosquitoes, protect yourself from bites by wearing tightly woven long sleeve tops and long pants.[12]
    • Bright colors like red and yellow may attract insects, so stick to light colors.
    • Woven fabrics like nylon and polyester offer better protection from bites than knit fabrics.
    • If you are hiking in areas that have lots of mosquitoes, you may want to purchase special gear, including clothing that is treated to repel insects and a mesh head net.
    • If you have a baby, make sure to protect the stroller with netting.
    • Pay extra attention to covering areas where your skin is thin, such as ankles and wrists.[13]
  3. 3
    Apply an insect repellent. Repellents that contain the active ingredients Deet or Picaridin are most effective.[14]
    • If you are concerned about the possible health risks of chemical repellents, you can buy products that contain lemon eucalyptus oil, which the CDC recognizes as an effective repellent.[15]
  4. 4
    Try mosquito-repelling plants. Certain plants, including lemon thyme, citrosa, and rosemary, are believed to produce oils that repel mosquitoes. Try crushing the leaves and rubbing them on your skin.[16]
    • These plants are not as effective and do not last as long as chemical repellents, so you will need to reapply frequently.
  5. 5
    Keep mosquitoes out. Make sure your windows and doors have tight screens that will keep mosquitoes out. You should also ensure that there are no other openings into your home that a mosquito might use.
    • Installing a screened-in porch might be a good option if you would like to spend more time outdoors without having to worry about mosquitoes

Community Q&A

Add New Question
  • What is rosemary and where can I find it?
    wikiHow Contributor
    Rosemary is a type of fragrant herb which is sometimes used in cooking for flavor. You can probably find these at a friend or family members garden, but if they don't have any check shops that sell plants and stuff. You can also find it dried in the spice section of your grocery store as well as sometimes fresh in the produce section.
Unanswered Questions
Show more unanswered questions
Ask a Question
200 characters left


  • Best results are achieved by adopting a mosquito control program that implements more than just one of the steps identified above.
  • If you have neighbors in close proximity, try to discuss your mosquito control plan with them so you can work together to reduce the mosquito population in your area.


  • Pesticides often contain chemicals that are harmful to humans/animals if inhaled or ingested. Chemically-based insect repellents may also cause adverse reactions in some people.
  • Many mosquito traps use flammable gas such as propane, which can be dangerous to use around young children and pets.

Article Info

Categories: Mosquito Control

In other languages:

Español: controlar a los mosquitos, Italiano: Tenere sotto Controllo le Zanzare, Русский: контролировать комаров, Português: Controlar Pernilongos

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 31,778 times.

Did this article help you?