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Natural and Effective Mosquito Control

February 23rd, 2015

Aaron_Stocking_Minnows_eThe harsh winter we have been experiencing has many of us longing for spring. Your pond(s) will once again become a focal point and gathering spot in your community when the warm weather arrives. Unfortunately, pesky mosquitoes begin to appear in the spring and try to ruin your ability to enjoy the outdoors. SOLitude is on stand-by to help you control the mosquito population in your pond with an affordable, unique, and natural solution.

Many pond owners share a common goal: reducing mosquito populations in and around your waterbody, which increases your ability to enjoy the outdoors. It is common knowledge that in addition to being a nuisance, mosquitoes can spread both viruses and diseases. Mosquitoes place their eggs on the surface of calm water where they incubate and hatch. The more the water in your pond moves, the less opportunity mosquitoes will have to reproduce. Fewer calm areas are available for mosquito reproduction in ponds with aeration systems, but unfortunately, pockets of calm water may still be available. These pockets of calm water provide mosquitoes with the conditions necessary to reproduce.

Young_BluegillControl mosquitoes naturally in and around your lakes and ponds by simply maintaining a healthy population of fish, to include fathead minnows and other fish like mosquitofish, bass and bluegill, which eat mosquito larvae in order to support their own growth and development. Many ponds have minnow populations, but due to predations, the minnow populations become depleted and need to be replenished, often times annually. Stocking minnows regularly to supplement the natural reproduction of your pond fish can result in very good mosquito control results.

Minnows are specifically recommended to control mosquitoes in stagnant pools of warm water, ditches, and temporary and ornamental ponds, but when proper numbers are stocked, minnows can be effectively used in larger ponds and lakes as well, but bluegill can be a great option, too, depending on the types and amount of predator fish in your waterbody. Minnow and bluegill stocking should be done in the early spring to control mosquitoes and they will reproduce through mid-summer and will continue to help control mosquitoes as fish populations expand.

If you have experienced issues controlling mosquitos, you should consider fish stocking in combination with other effective methods such as proper buffer management, pond aeration, and larvicides to help control these pests. Identify the best mosquito control plan for your waterbody today, and you will be able to enjoy the outdoor season more, knowing you won’t get eaten alive!

 

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Contact the experts at 888-480-5253 for all of your lake, pond and fisheries management needs. 

SOLitude Lake Management is a nationwide environmental firm committed to providing sustainable solutions that improve water quality, enhance beauty, preserve natural resources and reduce our environmental footprint. SOLitude’s team of aquatic resource management professionals specializes in the development and execution of customized lake, stormwater pond, wetland and fisheries management programs that include water quality testing and restoration, nutrient remediation, algae and aquatic weed control, installation and maintenance of fountains and aeration systems, bathymetry, shoreline erosion restoration, mechanical harvesting and hydro-raking, lake vegetation studies, biological assessments, habitat evaluations, and invasive species management. Services and educational resources are available to clients nationwide, including homeowners associations, multi-family and apartment communities, golf courses, commercial developments, ranches, private landowners, reservoirs, recreational and public lakes, municipalities, drinking water authorities, parks, and state and federal agencies. SOLitude Lake Management is a proud member of the Rentokil Steritech family of companies in North America.

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