How to control mosquitoes around the home

Joy Onuorah

You can reduce the risk of mosquito bites by preventing mosquitoes from breeding around your home by following these tips:

Clean up your yard and remove anything where water can collect, such as unused pots and tyres.
Cover or overturn trailers, wheelbarrows, boats, tools and children’s playground toys to avoid water collection.
Keep gutters and drains clean so water runs freely.
Mend leaking taps.
Change pet drinking bowls, bird baths and vase waters at least once a week, and more regularly in very warm weather.
Put sand around the base of pot plants.
Keep swimming pools well maintained or empty or securely covered if not in use.
Keep fish ponds tidy with minimal vegetation around the edges.
Keep lawns and gardens trimmed back to reduce the areas where mosquitoes rest.
Check water tanks for gaps around lids, covers and inlet pipes. Fit a removable screen mesh to the outlet end of overflow pipes and to all water inlets if needed.
Make sure any water collection containers have secure lids or screens.