Mosquito Habitat Elimination Checklist

For a printable version of this checklist, please click here.

Use this checklist to find and get rid of all the standing water around your home where immature mosquitoes may live.

Immature mosquitoes live and grow in standing water. It takes them about 7 days to grow and become adult mosquitoes that are ready to fly and bite.

Common Household Items

Buckets: Empty water from buckets and turn them over.
Garbage cans and recycling bins: Drill drainage holes in the bottoms of garbage cans and bins, keep covered and dispose of recycling weekly if possible.
Tarps, plastic bags and sheets: Keep tarps tight and refit them if water collects.

Gutters: Keep gutters clean and properly pitched.
Flexible downspout extensions: Pitch downspout extensions so water drains completely after it rains or replace them with a metal, non-flexible extension that is pitched to drain fully. Keep the inside free of debris.
Leaky hose spigots: Fix leak or have it fixed by a professional plumber.

Planter saucers: Dump the water out every 5-7 days or don't use a saucer at all.
Planters without drainage holes: Drill holes in the bottom of your planter – it's healthier for your plants.
Self-watering planters: Tightly seal the watering hole after adding water or use traditional planters with drainage holes.
Wheelbarrows: Turn wheelbarrows over or store them on end.
Watering Cans: Empty and store upside down or in a garage or shed.
Rain Barrels: Cover tops of rain barrels and any overflow holes with tightly fitted screen.
Bird Baths: Change water at least once a week and brush the inside of the bowl to remove any mosquito eggs.
Ornamental ponds: Get fish. If that is not an option, you can get a pond fountain to stop the water from being stagnant.

Portable basketball hoops: Make sure caps for fill holes are in place; replace if lost.
Kiddie pools: Empty or change water in kiddie pools every 5 - 7 days. Be sure to store indoors or turned over when empty.
Sand boxes: Drill small drainage holes in the bottom of your sand box.
Big plastic toys, wagons, etc.: Keep toys turned over or inside when not in use. If water can get inside the toy, so can a mosquito - drill drainage holes in the bottom.

Boats: Empty all the water possible. Cover boats in storage with tight tarps or use boat shrink wrap.
Jet skis: Rinse out the foot depressions with a hose every week. Jet skis can be tightly tarped or stored indoors.
Pools/pool covers: Keep the top of pool covers free of standing water. If you know of an abandoned home in your neighborhood with an unkempt pool, call the Middlesex County Mosquito Extermination Commission. It may need to be treated or stocked with fish that eat immature mosquitoes.

Don't forget to check behind sheds, under shrubs, decks & porches where containers may hide.

Still have a mosquito problem? You can complete a service request here.