Trash should be placed in a garbage can with a lid. Buckets, cans and other small containers are good breeding grounds for many
mosquito species.

Plastic containers can trap small pockets of water that will breed mosquitoes. They should be checked weekly and any water dumped.
Gutters should be cleaned regularly.
Flower pot drip trays should be inspected often to check for developing mosquito larvae. In door flower pots must be checked.
Swimming pools must be maintained at the proper chlorine level throughout the summer season. Pool covers that collect water should be drained, flushed regularly or treated with chlorine to stop mosquito breeding. Abandoned pools should be taken down filled.

Old tyres should be properly disposed off. Tyres are the favourite breeding grounds for many of the mosquito species that transmit various diseases to humans throughout the world!

Some facts about the Mosquito

How many species of mosquitoes are there?
There are currently over 3000 species worldwide

Why do mosquitoes bite humans?
Mosquitoes do not actually "bite" humans; they "feed" on them. Female mosquitoes require protein to produce their eggs and obtain this protein from the blood of humans and other animals

Do male and female mosquitoes both feed on humans?
No. Since male mosquitoes do not lay eggs, they do not require protein. Only the female mosquito requires a source of protein to produce her eggs.

Where do mosquitoes breed?
A mosquito's lifecycle has four stages egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Mosquitoes need water to breed since all mosquitoes spend their larval and pupal stages in water. Therefore, mosquitoes can always be found around water.

How long do mosquitoes live?
Most adult mosquitoes wind up as food for birds, dragonflies, or spiders. Others succumb to the effects of wind, rain, and drought. Those that don't may persist for as long as 2-3 months and adults that hibernate can live as long 6-8 months.

How do mosquitoes spread disease?
Only in the last century has it been known that mosquitoes are capable of spreading disease. The diseases are often viruses that are picked up by the mosquito when it feeds on an infected host. When the mosquito then feeds on another host, it can then spread the virus.

What type of diseases can mosquitoes carry?
Mosquitoes are known to have carried diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, dog heartworm, and viral encephalitis. Mosquitoes do not transmit AIDS.

How can mosquitoes be controlled?
Mosquitoes around the home can be reduced significantly by minimizing the amount of standing water available for mosquito breeding. Residents are urged to reduce standing water around the home in a variety of ways. Source reduction activities include:

Why are mosquitoes able to survive pesticide spraying?
Pesticides are designed to kill adult mosquitoes within 5-30 minutes of contact. Contact is more reliably achieved after sunset and overnight when most mosquitoes are airborne. When contact is made, insecticides are approximately 90% effective so some mosquitoes do survive spraying. It is not designed to kill mosquito larvae so non-adult mosquitoes will not be affected and new hatches of adults may need to be addressed.

How can I protect myself from mosquito-borne diseases?
The best way is to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. This can be accomplished using personal protection while outdoors when mosquitoes are present. Treated bed nets shouldbe used sleeping. Mosquito repellant should be used when outdoor.