How can I prevent mosquitos from breeding in a bird bath?
April 8, 2010 by
Filed under Bird Baths
I’m thinking of putting a bird bath in my back yard (so they’ll have water and then my backyard can be a good habitat). I’m worried that mosquitos will breed in the bird bath though (water). I don’t have time to change the water every day..Any tips?
There is no better way than changing the water. Again putting some anti-mosquito chemical in it might prove harmful to the other aspects of birdbath.
change the water daily. or get some water to flow into it constantly.
Even if you change the water every three days you’ll be cutting down on your chances of mosquitos breeding in the bird bath.
You might be able to find a small (outdoor) pump that will swirl the water around in your birdbath too. – Water that has a good current in it or that gets constantly swished around a bit is too hard for mosquitos to lay eggs in. But then you might want a quiet pump as to not scare the birds away I would think.
Or maybe even a small outdoor waterfall or water fountain type thing that could be put into the birdbath.
The BEST solution we have found for any kind of misquito issues is to buy tiki torches but put 1/3 kerosene and 2/3 citronella or lamp oil. Sounds crazy but it works and doesn’t put off awful odor either.
Put a goldfish in it. They are very hardy fish that can live in almost any water. They will eat any insect larve and algae too. Just keep it full of water and you wont have to worry about it.
Ahh… When I look through the answers I see a mix of actual solutions and also a number of myths.
BIRD BATH SOLUTION:
#1) Change the water weekly. REASONING: The typical mosquito goes from egg to adult in 7-10 days depending on the temperature/food available. By changing the water weekly you will prevent the cylce from completing. EFFECTIVENESS: 100%
#2) Circulation. REASONING: By having moving water the mosquito will not lay eggs/larvae can’t develop. This sounds good, but I have found mosquito larvae in moving water before (along the edges). EFFECTIVENESS:75-100%
#3) Larvicide. A common larvicide (larvae killer) is available at most hardware stores. Look for the active ingredient of Bti (Bacillus thuringiensis isrealiensis) as it causes the larvae to die. It is VERY species specific and will not injure birds or any other creatures deciding to cavort in your birdbath. EFFECTIVENESS: 99.99999% (Almost perfect!!)
#4) Larvicide OPTION #2 – Methoprene – Although effective against developing larvae, it does have not target effects (crustaceans and other insects may also be injured/affected by this product). EFFECTIVENESS: 90-100%
#5) NO WATER! The most obvious and least fun of all of the options. No water = no mosquitoes. EFFECTIVENESS: 100%
Any of these options will work, but I would choose #1 or #3. Good luck and enjoy the good weather!
P.S. Some mosqutio MYTHS:
#1) BATS CONTROL MOSQUITOES
#2) BUG ZAPPERS CONTROL MOSQUITOES
#3) CITRONELLA (CANDLES, TIKI TORCHES, PLANTS)