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West Nile Virus- How to Eliminate Mosquito Breeding Grounds  

The most important thing to remember when eliminating mosquito breeding grounds is that it only takes a short amount of time for mosquitoes to move into areas of your yard that have standing water. In warm weather, mosquitoes can breed in any puddle of water.   Adult females have the ability to lay eggs every third night of their lifespan. When they lay eggs, it can be anywhere from 100-300 at a time. The length of time for development from egg to adult varies depending on the water temperature and mosquito species. It usually takes only 7-10 days, but sometimes up to several weeks.  

Follow these steps to prevent a mosquito breeding ground in your yard:

• Empty containers that hold water or replace existing water every 3 days. Proper attention to this can interrupt the mosquito life cycle.
• Use natural predators like minnows or goldfish in backyard ponds to prey on mosquitoes.
• Drill holes in the bottom of containers like trash barrels to prevent water from accumulating.    

To learn more about West Nile Virus and preventing infection go to www.oznet.ksu.edu/westnilevirus.