Douglas W. Tallamy, an entomologist at the University of Delaware, suggests controlling mosquitos at the larval stage instead of the adult stage. Spraying adult stage mosquitos requires spraying insecticide at such high concentrations that it kills all insects, not just mosquitos.
Changing the strategy for controlling mosquitos is necessary because beneficial insects such as bees and butterflies and their larvae are being eliminated at an alarming rate. Insects are at the base of the food chain and, without them, birds and other creatures that rely on insects are challenged to find enough food for themselves and their young. When they eat sprayed insects, the insecticide can build up and affect their health. There is an effective alternative to harmful mosquito spraying – reducing standing water on your property and building mosquito larva traps. A mosquito larva trap works because adult mosquitoes are drawn to a fermenting solution and lay their eggs. An added Mosquito Dunk® or similar product that releases a selective bacterium affects only the mosquito larvae. Check out all the steps to build your own here.
