Florida brings forth countless rainy spells, and it’s a smart idea to capitalize on the wealth. Many people put out rain barrels to collect their own water and maintain a sustainable system. The downside? Mosquitoes also want to take advantage of the rain that you’ve so generously collected for them as an abundant breeding site. Obviously, this isn’t what you originally had in mind when you decided to start gathering rainwater. Here are some tips for keeping your rain barrel mosquito-free straight from the professionals at SWAT Mosquito Systems Orlando!
Choosing The Right Type Of Rain Barrel
Collecting rain isn’t as simple as setting out an empty bucket and hoping for the best. That’s actually the quickest way to invite mosquitoes and end up with a musky and smelly pool of water that you’ll end up dumping out anyway. Of course, there are products specifically designed to be an efficient system for catching rain.
Learn more > 5 Places Where Mosquitoes Breed And How To Control Them
Rain barrels come in many forms, but most of them are likely to bring you mosquito problems because they leave behind an exposed water source. Open-top barrels, barrels with depressed or concave tops, or any barrel with a rimmed lid will provide just enough water for mosquitoes to breed. You’ll also want to steer clear of barrels that have large holes on top because eggs and larvae are able to fall in. One of the few types of rain barrels that will bring you less mosquito trouble is the tight-head drum with no lid.
Deterring Mosquitoes From Using Your Water Source
If you happen to own a rain barrel that allows water to pool up, there are still a few things that you can do to help keep mosquitoes at bay. And with that goal in mind, well-placed screens can stop mosquitoes from even reaching your water source. However, the gaps in the screen need to be smaller than the mosquito in order for this method to be effective. In this case, you might want to consider double-screening. Either way, these screens need to be tightly placed over your barrel and spouts. If you don’t want to deal with screens, you could place a mosquito dunk in your barrel once a month to make the water too toxic for the pesky bugs to use, but many people don’t like the idea of contaminating their hard-earned water.
Learn More > How To Quickly Kill Mosquito Larvae In Standing Water
Think Bigger, Fight Back The Mosquitoes!
All of this rain barrel maintenance can be a lot of work, and you may still end up with a mosquito infestation no matter how careful you are. What else can you do? Rather than keeping mosquitoes away from your barrels, you can fight back and eliminate them with a misting system. A natural solution will spray throughout your yard during optimal times of the day to effectively kill off mosquitoes so that there won’t be any left to bother your rain barrels in the first place!
Reliable Mosquito Misting Systems In Orlando
At SWAT Mosquito Systems Orlando, our automated mosquito misting systems spray during optimal times of the day to decrease the population around your property, thus protecting your rain barrels from contamination through breeding. Call (954) 437-1815 today to speak with our friendly staff for more information and to receive a free estimate!