“Site Sourcing” is a phrase coined by Mosquito Squad™ franchisee Russ Jundt in Minneapolis, MN which is indicative of the activity associated with seeking out the source of the target pest and treating that sourceaccordingly. “Anyone can spray more chemical”, states Jundt, “but it is the professional that actually employs an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy and identifies, eliminates and treats the source responsibly.” Mosquito Squad™ uses an effective and environmentally sensitive approach to pest management that relies on a combination of common sense practices.
Site Sourcing for Mosquitoes: Mosquitoes need standing water to hatch their eggs but can do so in as little as a bottle cap or tablespoon of water. So mosquitoes don’t need ponds or drainage ditches. They can hatch in places like gutters, plant container saucers, poorly drained yards and discarded tires – meaning you probably have a mosquito nursery in your back yard. No water, no mosquitoes. It’s that simple.¹ Whenever applicable the technicians at Mosquito Squad™ employ the techniques and teach homeowners the “5 T’s” when it comes to reducing the source of mosquitoes:
- Tip: Tip over any containers that hold water for more than five days at a time. This includes changing the water in a birdbath, tipping over sand pails and toys in the yard, and anything else that holds water, like rain gauges, plant saucers, and outdoor candles, etc.
- Toss: Toss any litter or unused containers in your yard. A female mosquito can lay hundreds of eggs in a cap to a bottle of soda.
- Turn-over: Similar to Tip, turn-over any large objects in your yard that may collect water, like canoes or wheelbarrows, so that they do not continue to produce breeding grounds for mosquitoes. A good rule of thumb is, “When in doubt – dump it out”.²
- Eliminate Tarps: Tarps are a major contributor to the amount of standing water, aka mosquito breeding pools. Remove tarps whenever they are done serving their purpose. For example: many tarps are used in the winter season to protect stored boats, firewood, etc. When spring arrives, be sure to collect and remove any tarps from your property once the weather starts to turn.
- Treat: When standing water cannot be eliminated, hire a professional from Mosquito Squad™ to treat these areas with a larval control. Areas may include abandoned swimming pools, fish ponds, drain tile, gutters, catch basins, etc.
Remember, it is important to employ Site Sourcing when it comes to developing a strategy to reduce the overall activity of those pesky mosquitoes in your outdoor living space.
Keep your eyes open for an upcoming article on Site Sourcing for Ticks.
¹ mosquitozone
²metropolitan mosquito control district (MMCD) of Minnesota
[...] Health Department about the foreclosed or abandoned property. Check out our previous blog post on Site Sourcing for tips on how to reduce the mosquito population in your yard. You can also call Mosquito [...]