After Rainfall, Expect Mosquitoes in Three Days
After it rains, expect the mosquitoes to swarm in three days.
Any substantial rainfall creates the opportunity for female mosquitoes to lay eggs. These eggs turn into larvae, live in water for three days, and then hatch as full-grown mosquitoes ready to eat.
A substantial rain – defined as one that creates puddles – produces standing water which creates a mosquito nesting site. Mosquitoes need standing water to lay eggs. Mosquito larvae only need half a teaspoon of water. Yes – only a half of a teaspoon is enough water to support mosquito eggs to maturity. It isn’t the volume of water that is important - it is the stagnant condition of standing water that is needed.
Mosquitoes do not lay eggs in a stream. A stream is constantly running which means it is not stagnant. However, at the edges of many creeks, streams and rivers are overflow areas that don’t completely drain. These areas aren’t in the flow of the water in the stream – they are just pools of standing water begging female mosquitoes to lay hundreds of eggs.
Mosquitoes do not lay eggs in water with fountains. Again, that moves the water around so not stagnant.
Mosquitoes do not lay eggs in water that drains away quickly. You may have a spot in the driveway that holds 2 inches of water after a big rain… but if the water drains away within hours, mosquitoes instinctively know and do not lay eggs there.
So, where do mosquitoes lay eggs? So many places! Many you have never thought about.
Standing water at the base of pretty container pots are a favorite spot. People put dishes underneath pots to capture the overflow when watering the plants. Great idea for keeping roots moist… but a nightmare for mosquito haters.
What you haven’t thought about…
• A Magnolia leaf in the back yard that is turned upside down and produces hundreds of mosquitoes each year.
• That pesky water at the base of the gutter that doesn’t quite drain and turns the concrete drainage form green with algae.
• Every nook and cranny of outdoor toys left outside – the seat of the Playskool cars, the indention in the base of the basketball backboard, the buckets of sand in the sandbox… every type of toy left outside has an opportunity to harbor mosquitoes! If you don’t want mosquitoes, don’t let them lay eggs in your yard. Be hyper vigilant, drain everything after each rain, offer no standing water opportunities and live for the goal of no mosquitoes…
Or get a Greenbug System. Get Automatic Pest Control through your irrigation using safe, natural ingredients. Even if you have breeding spots, a Greenbug System will make sure mosquitoes don’t come NEAR them by creating a bubble of protection over your entire property. A Greenbug System means no mosquitoes.
Even three days after it rains.