Flood Mosquito Control
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DIY Mosquito Control After A Flood
Natural disasters like hurricanes and floods can be devastating to homes and neighborhoods. Unfortunately, these weather worries are becoming more common. Once the floodwaters subside and begin to recede, people are left with wreckage to clean up and restoration projects. At the same time, people have to deal with the emergence of mosquitoes that thrive under these conditions. Mosquitoes can potentially arrive in large numbers because a home damaged by floods becomes a perfect breeding ground.
If your home was near major flooding or storms you will likely have mosquito issues. Mosquitoes are more annoying than dangerous but they still hold the potential of being vectors of harmful diseases such as West Nile so you can’t take any chances when they have made themselves comfortable amidst all the stagnant water.
Our pest control experts have compiled a special guide on how to get rid of mosquitoes once they turn up after a flood. In the step-by-step directions below, we will show you products and methods to protect your home from mosquito infestations so you can focus on restoring your damaged home without the looming presence of pesky mosquitoes.
Eliminate Potential Breeding Areas
Get rid of any standing water on your property immediately. If the heavy rains have left pools of water sitting on top of your pool cover, in your gutters, or inside plant pots, dump that water out into a nearby sewer drain. These are all potential mosquito breeding grounds.
We understand that because of flooding not everything can be drained out, so worry about the ones you can empty out such as birdbaths, ornamental fountains, water gardens, rain barrels without screened covers, plant pots, animal drinking containers, the crevices of plastic toys, garbage cans, old tires, buckets, tree stumps, puddles, shallow ponds, clogged gutters, obstructed downspouts, flat roofs, and yard debris.
Apply Altoside Pro G Larvicide
If there are any areas where water cannot be drained, you can apply larvicide like Altoside Pro G to deal with any eggs that have been laid to prevent them from growing into adult mosquitoes.
Altosid Pro G is an insect growth regulator (IGR) that will prevent the undeveloped stages of mosquitoes (egg, larval, and pupal) from maturing. Altosid Pro G's active ingredient, methoprene, will disrupt the mosquitoes' life cycle by preventing molting, egg hatching, and egg-laying. Best of all, Altosid remains effective for up to 30 days after application.
To use Altosid Pro G, first determine how big the body of water is and use the application rate table found on the label. Rates vary from 1/4th of a teaspoon to cover a 13 sq. ft. treatment area of less than 2 ft. deep of water to as high a 1 cup used to treat 2,400 sq. ft. of surface area. To apply, sprinkle the required amount of Altosid Pro G uniformly over the surface of the water.
You may need to reapply in 30-day intervals throughout the entire season to maintain sufficient control.
Apply Insecticides
Once you've treated the standing water that could not be eliminated, it is time to spray your turf and ornamental plants. Do this by using a combination of Flex 10-10 and Tekko Pro.
Flex 10-10 is a powerful insecticide that will kill and repel adult mosquitoes for up to 90 days. Tekko Pro is a liquid IGR that works similarly to the Altosid; it will prevent mosquitoes in the egg, larval, and pupal stage from maturing.
Use Flex 10-10 and Tekko Pro together in a hose end sprayer or hand-pump sprayer. Apply 1 ounce of Flex 10-10 and 4 ml of Tekko Pro for every 1,500 square feet. Start spraying at the back of the yard and make your way to the front. Spray mulch beds, flower beds, ground covers, ornamentals, etc. When treating ornamentals spray over and under the leaves. Spraying under the leaves is important because mosquitoes will typically rest on the shaded undersides of leaves.
For more serious mosquito infestations, which is very likely after a flood, we recommend you use a misting blower like a Solo 451 Mist Blower Fogging Backpack.
Prevention
By practicing mosquito prevention you can stop infestations from reoccurring. There are many things you can do to prevent mosquitoes around your home or business. Start by diligently removing water sources around your property. Do not to leave buckets or containers outside that might collect rainwater. Clean the rain gutters regularly and do your best to drain moisture from the lawn.
Mosquitoes are most active between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit and especially after heavy rains. So apply the Flex 10-10 and Tekko Pro solution at the beginning of Spring, Summer, and Fall to prevent future infestations.
Key Takeaways
- The destruction a flood gets can be difficult to deal with, and mosquitoes can add to your problems because all the stagnant water makes for great breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
- Try to reduce or eliminate areas with standing water as much as possible after a flood. For areas where this is hard to do, mosquito larvicides like Altoside Pro G can stop mosquito larvae from maturing into adults.
- Apply a mixture of Flex 10-10 and Tekko Pro IGR and treat the area around your home thoroughly. For serious mosquito problems, using a fogger like the Solo Mist Blower is a great option to control the infestation.