Pest Library
Mosquitoes
Breeding happens closer to the house than most homeowners expect.
Overview
Mosquitoes need standing water to reproduce, and many of the species that bother homeowners breed in very small amounts of it — a clogged gutter, a tarp fold, a plant saucer, a forgotten bucket or a tire swing. Container-breeding species often stay within a few hundred feet of where they hatched.
That is why yards with no pond or stream can still be unusable at dusk: the breeding sites are usually on the property itself.
What to look for
Identify the pest
Compare what you found with these mosquitoes reference materials.
Adult mosquito
Slender fly with long legs and a piercing mouthpart; most local species bite around dawn and dusk.
Daytime biter
Boldly marked species that bite during the day and breed in very small containers.
Signs of activity
Most homeowners find the evidence before they find the pest. These are the things people usually notice first.
Larvae in standing water
Wrigglers in still water mean a container is actively producing mosquitoes.
Bird baths
Water left standing more than a week is enough for a full generation.
Buckets and containers
Buckets, tarps, toys and plant saucers are the most common backyard breeding sites.
Clogged gutters
Leaf-packed gutters hold water long enough to breed mosquitoes out of sight.
Photos can help narrow down a pest problem, but many pests and signs of activity look similar. A photograph should not be treated as a definitive identification or diagnosis. Photo sources and credits.
Does this look familiar?
Pest signs aren't always easy to identify from pictures. Send us a photo of what you're seeing and tell us where you found it — we'll take mosquitoes into account.
Why they're common in the Hudson Valley
- Humid summers, heavy summer thunderstorms and shaded wooded lots keep moisture on the ground and in containers.
- Properties with stone walls, dense plantings, low spots and woodland edges provide cool daytime resting habitat.
- Streams, wetlands and drainage swales are common features across the valley.
Signs of activity
- Biting activity concentrated at dawn and dusk
- Mosquitoes resting in shaded shrubs, under decks and along foundation plantings
- Standing water that persists more than a few days after rain
- Clogged gutters or downspout extensions holding water
Where you'll find them
- Gutters, downspouts and corrugated drain pipe
- Planters, saucers, birdbaths, wheelbarrows and buckets
- Tarps, boat and grill covers, and children's toys
- Low yard areas, drainage ditches and clogged catch basins
- Shaded shrubs and under decks during daytime hours
Why it matters
- Beyond the nuisance, mosquitoes in New York can transmit West Nile virus and, less commonly, eastern equine encephalitis; the state health department tracks activity each season.
- Heavy mosquito pressure effectively takes away outdoor living space during the best months of the year.
Prevention
- Empty and scrub containers weekly; store them upside down
- Clean gutters and make sure downspouts drain freely
- Change birdbath and pet water every few days
- Fill or regrade low areas that hold water
- Thin dense vegetation to reduce shaded resting habitat
- Repair torn window and porch screens
When to get an inspection
- Mosquito pressure persists after you have eliminated the standing water you can find
- You want help locating breeding sites on a wooded or sloped property
- You are planning an outdoor event
- Your yard borders wetlands or a drainage swale
Can't use your yard because of mosquitoes?
If the activity keeps coming back, an on-site inspection is the reliable next step.