In recent years, West Nile and Zika viruses have become a hot topic among urban pond owners in Texas. Magnolia Fisheries’ primary service for mosquito control is aquatic vegetation control and supplemental surface water movement. These measures eliminate stagnant water and minimize successful mosquito reproduction in your pond.
Most Adult Mosquitoes are NOT Coming From Your Pond!
Mosquitoes require calm water in order to breed successfully. The larvae extend a breathing siphon to the surface of the water. Breaking the surface tension of the water will cause them to drown. Therefore, wind and wave action, currents, or any other water surface disturbance prevents them from completing their life cycle. If your pond has a floating fountain or aerator, the added water movement will hinder successful breeding. As a result, most adult mosquitoes originate from small pools of stagnant, standing water rather than well managed ponds.
Once mosquitoes reach their larval and pupal stages, an onslaught of natural predators greatly reduce their numbers. The Gambusia (mosquitofish) is a native fish common in all North Texas waterways. Gambusia are adept at consuming larval mosquitoes and are often introduced for the sole purpose of mosquito control. Common sunfish and other small fish are also very effective at interrupting the aquatic stages of mosquitoes. Most ponds in North Texas already contain high numbers of hungry bluegill and redear sunfish.
Eradication of tall vegetation adjacent to ponds and lakes will eliminate the daytime resting habitat of adult mosquitoes. This makes your pond less attractive to breeding adults. Likewise, routine management of algae and aquatic vegetation will reduce the amount of stagnant water present in your pond.
standing water
Mosquito Control Recommendations
The most effective method of mosquito control is to identify and eliminate their breeding sites. The measures outlined below are part of an Integrated Mosquito Management Plan (IMMP) that attacks mosquito populations through multiple methods:
- Destroy or dispose of tin cans, old tires, buckets, unused plastic swimming pools or other containers that collect and hold water. Do not allow water to accumulate in flowerpots, cemetery urns or in pet dishes for more than 2 days.
- Clean debris from rain gutters and remove any standing water under or around structures, or on flat roofs. Check around faucets and air conditioner units and repair leaks or eliminate puddles that remain for several days.
- Change the water in birdbaths and wading pools at least once a week and stock ornamental pools with small predatory fish species.
-
Treat ornamental ponds with biological larvicides or BTI’s (Bacillus thuringensis israelensis). Commercial products called “Mosquito Dunks” and “Mosquito Bits” containing BTI’s can be purchased at many home/garden stores for homeowner use.
-
Implement personal precautions such as limiting outdoor exposure at dawn and dusk, wearing long sleeve shirts and pants at peak exposure times, and using insect repellant using DEET.
Why Can't You Spray Them in Our Neighborhood?
Federal and State laws make it illegal to spray or broadcast insecticides in, around, or over water.
Many municipalities have stopped fog spraying and there are a very limited number of private pest control operators that work on the homeowner association level. Magnolia Fisheries provides Mosquito Dunks (BTI’s) and places them in stagnant water areas for our customers during those times of the year when mosquitoes are active.
Mosquito Control Summary
Roughly 95% of all adult mosquitoes are hatched in standing pools of water that collect in ditches, culverts, flower pots, etc. These would be the ideal places to place BTI dunks. Keep in mind that mosquito dunks only attack the larval stage. Since they do not attack adult mosquitoes, residents should realize that BTI’s do not automatically equate to fewer pests. This biological control agent used to hinder mosquito production, rather than eradicate it.
The good news for urban pond owners is that well managed ponds and lakes are typically NOT the source of mosquito reproduction. Routine aquatic vegetation treatments and the addition of fountains or aerators make it difficult for them to complete their life cycle. If the larval stages are not drowned by fountains/wave action, they are usually consumed by natural predators. As a result, simply tossing BTI dunks into well managed ponds could be a waste of resources.
If you are concerned about mosquitoes in your urban pond, call Magnolia Fisheries. We will evaluate the conditions of your pond and advise if an IMMP is required.
For additional information on West Nile Virus and Mosquito Control from Dallas County Health and Human Services, follow this link.