Beware of mosquitos

Show me a farm…I’ll show you a mosquito breeding ground between all the different types of livestock, lagoons, all the niches where standing water gathers and stays for weeks on end. And if you spend most of your time on your spread and if you haven’t been bit by a mosquito yet this summer, consider yourself lucky. Oregon State University Entomologist Gail Langellotto [LONG-uh-lot-oh] says it can still be a busy year for those little pests.

“Mosquitoes breed in freshwater. With the abundant rains we had early in the summer, it probably created a lot of small pools of water that make perfect mosquito breeding sites.”

 

Langellotto says there are things you can do to limit the mosquito populations on your property, and it starts with reducing standing water.

“If they have any pots that aren’t draining, that are holding water, old tires are oftentimes receptacles for standing water where mosquitoes can breed.”

 

Langellotto even includes bird baths and pet dishes. Sheadds that bug zappers don’t prevent mosquitos, but an outside fan can. She points out that mosquitos don’t like breezy conditions.