Mosquito.buzz Blog

The backyard is a magical place during summertime in Canada. From mouth-watering BBQ's to long nights spent under the stars with family and friends, there is plenty of fun and entertainment to be had in outdoor spaces across the country during the warm summer months, weather permitting of course.  

The only problem? Mosquitoes love your backyard oasis just as much as you do, and are experts at finding under-the-radar or easy-to-miss areas on your property to hang out in and breed. 

Here are the top 10 spots in your backyard that mosquitoes live, rest, breed, and hide in.

1. Trees & Shrubs

When they're not actively hunting for prey, mosquitoes prefer to escape harsh sunlight and wind, opting for areas that provide shade and humidity.

Deep shrubbery and foliage give mosquitoes a dark, humid environment to chill out in. If you have a mosquito problem on your property, we'd bet that you'll find a few hanging out on the underside of foliage leaves, either eating the plant nectar for nutrition or waiting for a good moment to fly over and eat you instead.

2. Tall Grasses

Again, tall grass gives mosquitoes a moist and shady place to hide. 

Make sure you mow your lawn regularly and trim any tall grass around walkways, pools, or ponds to help reduce mosquito populations around your property.

FREE TIP SHEET > Managing Mosquito Populations Around Your Home

3. Under Your Decks

Along with spiders, springtails, fleas, and (god forbid) termites, mosquitoes like to make like yachtsmen and hang out below deck.

The space beneath your deck can provide an ideal mosquito breeding habitat. Check if any puddles have formed, and if so, drain them and fill with sand instead. This will help prevent standing water from accumulating, giving mosquitoes one less place to lay their eggs.

A professional mosquito control service will focus on treating areas like trees, shrubs, tall grasses, and under decks, so you can create a barrier between your property and incoming mosquitoes.

4. Gutters & Eavestroughs

We know... cleaning the gutters is a 'tomorrow job'.

A long neglected chore, clogged gutters aren't just bad for water damage. Gutters full of debris give mosquitoes an ideal place to hide, and standing water gives them an ideal place to breed and create even more little enemies.

We know it's not your favourite job, but if you want to be less itchy this summer, get in the habit of cleaning out your gutters.

5. Ponds & Puddles

Hopefully we've drilled this into your head by now; mosquitoes breed in standing water!

While ornamental ponds might look pretty, they're the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes. We're not here to kill your dreams, though; you can totally have a nice, calming pond in your yard with the right upkeep. 

Since mosquitoes like to lay their eggs in still water, puddles are a trouble spot, too. Remember to regularly remove or drain any standing water around your property, including puddles after a heavy bout of rain.

6. Planters & Pots

If you've got potted plants with saucers or empty flower pots in your yard, chances are you've got some standing water that's been sitting there for a little while.

Make sure you drain the water in your planters, saucers, and pots, especially after it rains. Better yet, if you have any types of containers hanging around that you're not using, just get rid of them.

7. Old Tires & Tire Swings

Thick, rubbery tires are a mosquito haven. They're dark and humid, and they provide insulation and protection for mosquito larvae.

Considering they easily fill up with water, they're notorious for breeding thousands of mosquitoes. Tires are the bane of many local councils, so much so that there are tire recycling services dedicated to helping reduce mosquito populations.

Your humble tire swing isn't innocent, either. Luckily, it's not so difficult to drill a few holes in them to effectively drain out any collections of water.

8. Piles of Leaves, Grass, or Wood

Here's another one of those jobs for 'tomorrow'. When you created that pile, you had the best intentions of scooping it up and getting rid of it. But that was probably before the big game was on TV.

Just like ticks, mosquitoes like to hide in the dark humidity of wood piles, leave piles, and grass piles. If you want to avoid an onslaught, get rid of the pile as soon as you create it.

9. Pet Bowls

It's Summer, and your pets need to be hydrated. But what they don't need is to be ingesting mosquito larvae!

It can be easy to forget that pet bowls are just another place for mosquitoes to breed. Do yourself and your pets a favour by changing their water daily. They might be spending more time indoors and sipping from their bowl inside, but don't forget about the one outside.

10. Overturned Boats

For many Canadians, a day spent out on the boat is the perfect summer tradition. What's not perfect, however, is the high number of mosquitoes that can breed inside your boat covers and overturned canoes if you leave them exposed to water during the winter.  

If battling with mosquitoes isn't a new tradition that you want to start next summer, make sure to store your boats properly when closing down the cottage. Flipping over your kayaks and canoes or storing your boats in a marina over the winter are two foolproof ways of lessening the number of breeding mosquitoes on your property.

Other places that mosquitoes like to hide and breed in include:

• Bird baths
• Tarps or pool covers
• Tree stumps
• Buckets
• Wheelbarrows
• Wading pools
• Kids toys
• Uncovered trash cans
• Any kinds of containers that can hold at least an inch of water

Stay Outside... Stay Healthy™ this Summer with our season long Mosquito Control service. At mosquito.buzz, we professionally treat your property where mosquitoes live, rest, and hide. We've got you covered for all your needs; your home, summer cottage, cabin, special backyard event, or outdoor wedding.