Mosquito Control Tips for Ponds and Lakes by: SOLitude Lake Management
To drastically reduce the
ideal environments for mosquitoes to breed and live, we recommend the following
ecologically sustainable, preventative, and proactive mosquito control measures to pond
and lake owners.
“Lake owners need to take
extra care in eliminating or altering all environments that attract mosquitoes
for breeding,” said David Beasley, Lead Fisheries Biologist with SOLitude Lake
Management.
In larger aquatic
environments such as lakes and ponds, circulate water with aeration.
Mosquitoes
breed in and prefer to live near warm, stagnant waterbodies. Circulation,
though a submersed aerator or surface pond fountain, will help eliminate the
environment that mosquitoes would consider for breeding.
Stock fish that feed on
mosquito larvae.
In addition to
stocking mosquito fish or fathead minnows annually, there are many fish species
that can be recommended by a fisheries professional for your specific state
that will naturally feed on the mosquito larvae, and therefore reduce the
number of surviving adult mosquitoes.
Plant vegetation that attracts
dragonflies.
Dragonflies feed on
mosquito larvae and also adults. Studies have shown that a single dragonfly can
eat hundreds of mosquitoes a day. Pickerelweed, arrowhead, iris, rush, and
sedges are some to consider adding in and around your lake or pond.
Consider
adding
biological larvicides. If your mosquito management strategy is not making headway with natural
methods, there are biological larvicides formulated from beneficial bacteria,
specifically designed for the various habitats that the mosquito larvae
inhabit. In order to be effective, these larvicides need to be applied anywhere
from weekly to monthly, depending on conditions, during the course of spring
and summer. As a result, natural methods like adding aeration and
dragonfly-attracting vegetation, as well as stocking certain fish are typically
preferred as more sustainable solutions.
SOLitude Lake Management is your full
service provider of lake and pond management solutions with offices throughout
the country. Visit
http://www.solitudelakemanagement.com/ to learn more.
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