Mosquito Control in Ponds
Splashing waves and movement will discourage mosquito breeding but chemicals like Microbe Lift® & Mosquito Dunks® controls mosquitos & kills mosquitoes before they breed in ponds
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The common mosquito can ruin more than a backyard bar-b-que; they can be a real irritation and cause swelling in sensitive people and can even transmit potentially dangerous illnesses. The common mosquito breeds and lays eggs in stagnant waters preferring warm still pools to breed and re-produce.

Pond owners and golf-courses who are trying to eliminate these blood-sucking pests know that adding movement and circulation to the pond water can help inhibit the breeding of mosquitoes. Using a fountain or bottom mounted aerator will certainly help deter the female from depositing her eggs in your pond because the waves and movement of the water is not conducive to their gestation.

If you really need to tackle tough mosquito problems you might need to use chemicals. I always prefer to use proper pond care techniques instead of chemicals...as I said, fountains can splash the water and make waves that discourage bug breeding...but in some cases chemicals are the only option; small still ponds, rain barrels, standing water on property...

Heck, if you gotta use em' you gotta use em!

Mosquito control is an important issue for pond and water garden owners as ponds and other contained water areas are perfect breeding grounds for mosquitos. Bti (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis) is a natural and effective treatment for mosquitos. This particular type of bacteria is toxic to mosquito larvae and will kill them once ingested.

This method of mosquito larvae control will not harm fish, pets or plants as it works only on mosquito larvae and prevents the growth into biting adults. Mosquito larvae control with Bti can be achieved in any areas where standing water accumulates and we recommend 3 distinct options to suit most any situation but we also discuss more below:

For a quick mosquito larvae kill, use the Mosquito Bits as they work in as little as 24 hrs.

Then for long term, sustained control use either the Mosquito Dunks or Microbe-Lift BMC.

Mosquito Dunks are a solid form that dissolve in water, while the Microbe-Lift BMC is a liquid solution that mixes quick and easily.

Microbe Lift BMC™ kills the developing mosquito's before they become breeding, biting adults including those which may potentially transmit West Nile Virus, Equine Encephalitis and those which may transmit Heartworm Disease to dogs and cats.

We have used and tested many forms of liquid and dry insect controllers and by far this is the superior product: This is is a biological mosquito control that has been specially formulated for Ponds, Golf Courses, Decorative Water Gardens, Fountains & any area where standing water exists.

Even small backyard barrels and buckets that may be your favorite little water garden can be helped by adding this product.

A completely natural mosquito control can be achieved with the mosquito control product we recommend. A lot of pond owners ask if this is some sort of DDT or Agent-Orange or what have you but modern science is not always creating monstrous products that will wipe-out entire populations!

This natural mosquito/insect control product (BMC = Biological Mosquito Control) kills developing mosquitoes before they can become biting adults.

Natural mosquito control is achieved through the specific use of naturally occurring bacteria strains that are lethal to mosquito larvae. Upon the initial application, the mosquito larvae ingesst the bacteria, resulting in death.

A single application will result in up to 14 days activity. The product disperses easily in water and has absolutely no fish toxicity or zero toxicity to non-target invertebrates. One thing we like about this product and why we give it such a high review (9.5/10) is that there is a significantly lower potential for any development of resistance than harmful chemical larvicides and has no adverse aesthetics effects on your pond.

For large ponds and golf-course water-hazourds the application of Microbe Lift Mosquoto Control is to apply 1 gallon per foot surface acre (200' x 200' x 1' depth) every month. Microbe Lift significantly lowers potential for development of resistance in target insect populations than chemical larvacides such as methoprene.
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What are Microbial Larvicides?
Microbial larvicides are bacteria that are registered as pesticides for control of mosquito larvae in outdoor areas such as irrigation ditches, flood water, standing ponds, woodland pools, pastures, tidal water, fresh or saltwater marshes, and storm water retention areas. Duration of effectiveness depends primarily on the mosquito species, the environmental conditions, the formulation of the product, and water quality.

Microbial larvicides may be used along with other mosquito control measures in an IPM program. The microbial larvicides used for mosquito control are Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) and Bacillus sphaericus (B. sphaericus). Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis is a naturally occurring soil bacterium registered for control of mosquito larvae. Bti was first registered by EPA as an insecticide in 1983. Mosquito larvae eat the Bti product that is made up of the dormant spore form of the bacterium and an associated pure toxin. The toxin disrupts the gut in the mosquito by binding to receptor cells present in insects, but not in mammals.

There are at currently over 25 Bti products registered for use including our preffered product Microbe-Lift BMC as well as Aquabac, Teknar, Vectobac, and LarvX are examples of common trade names for the available mosquito control products. Bacillus sphaericus is a completely naturally occurring form of living bacterium that is found all over the Earth in every country and in every temperate zone.

The specific bacterial latin name "B. sphaericus" was initially registered by EPA in 1991 for use against various kinds of mosquito larvae. Mosquito larvae ingest the bacteria, and as with Bti, the toxin disrupts the gut in the mosquito by binding to receptor cells present in insects but not in mammals. Products like ML-BMC, VectoLex CG and WDG are Government registered and sanctioned B. sphaericus products and are effective for approximately one to four weeks after application.

Do Microbial Larvicides Pose Risks to Human Health, Wildlife or The Environment?
The microbial pesticides have undergone extensive testing prior to EPA and Health Department registration. They are essentially nontoxic to humans, so there are no concerns for human health effects with Bti or B. sphaericus when they are used according to label directions. Extensive testing shows that microbial larvicides do not pose risks to wildlife, nontarget species, or the environment, when used according to label directions. Follow all directions on the label to ensure safe and effective operation!

Alternative Mosquito Treatments
While we totally recommend the simplicity and efficiency of Microbe-Lift there are alternative mosquito control techniques that many people swear by; for your information here is some information on these products if you wish to further investigate these products.

Methoprene Granules For Preventative Mosquito Control
No matter what techinique is being considered, preventing mosquito populations in any given area is far more effective and less expensive than trying to control the biting pests in their adult stage. There are situations when using adulticides for flying mosquitoes is necessary. For these situations a fogging solution or spray solution is needed. The best pest control involves eliminating as many mosquito breeding grounds as possible.

Methoprene Granules can kill mosquitoes for up to 21 Days For those areas where eliminating water that harbors mosquitoes, a mosquito larvicide is needed. Methoprene Mosquito Granules contain an IGR that inhibits the growth of certain insects in their immature stages. When mosquito larvae are exposed to Methoprene, they do not die. These wrigglers (as they are sometimes called) seem to be unaffected when observed. The effect of the product shows in the pupal stage. In this stage the immature mosquitoes normally develop into adult insects and immerge to start their biting, reproducing life cycle.

However, the young insects that have come into contact with the unique IGR material will not survive past the pupae stage and never become adult biting pests. Application of Methoprene Granules Mosquito control granules are simply sprinkled or broadcast in areas where mosquitoes may breed. Apply 1 tablespoon per 211 square feet, 1/4 cup per 1,480 square feet, 1 pound per 8,712 square feet.

As we have found there can be a certain resistance built up over time when using this product and som dosages are typically going to increase over time which will lead to increasing costs to achieve the same insect free results.

As we stray further into products that may be dangerous to humans and wildlife we find such products as Temephos for mosquito control.

Temephos
Temephos is an organophosphate (OP) pesticide registered by EPA in 1965 to control mosquito larvae, and it is the only organophosphate with larvicidal use. It is an important resistance management tool for mosquito control programs; its use helps prevent mosquitoes from developing resistance to the bacterial larvicides. Temephos is used in areas of standing water, shallow ponds, swamps, marshes, and intertidal zones. It may be used along with other mosquito control measures in an IPM program.

Abate is the registered trade name of the temephos product used for moskeeto control. Temephos is usually applied most commonly as a spray from a helicopter but can be applied by corrosive resitant backpack sprayers, fixed-wing aircraft, and right-of-way sprayers in either liquid or granular form. When spraying from a back-pack make sure to provide adequate masking and inhalation protection for the applicating individual as the spray could cause ill-effects in humans if ingested or uinhaled directly!

Does Temephos Pose Risks to Human Health, The Environment or Wildlife?
Temephos and variations in the brand name, when applied according to the labels for mosquito controlling, does not pose an unreasonable risks to human health but it is a question if there is a reasonable risk to humans that is acceptable. If the malaria carrying mosquitos are going to be killed then perhaps the risk management is worthwhile; some people insist that banning DDT may have been a mistake as there are thousands of people in third world countries dying from mosquito borne disease.

Temephos is usually applied to water, and the amount of temephos is very small in relation to the area covered, less than 1 ounce of active ingredient per acre for the liquid and 8 ounces per acre for the granular formulations. Temephos breaks down within a few days in water, and post-application exposure is minimal. However, at high dosages, temephos, like other OPs, can overstimulate the nervous system causing nausea, dizziness, and confusion.

Because temephos is applied directly to water, it is not expected to have a direct impact on terrestrial animals or birds. Current mosquito larviciding techniques pose some risk to nontarget aquatic species and the aquatic ecosystem. Although temephos presents relatively low risk to birds and terrestrial species, available information suggests that it is more toxic to aquatic invertebrates than alternative larvicides. For this reason, EPA is limiting temephos use to areas where less-hazardous alternatives would not be effective, specifying intervals between applications, and limiting the use of high application rates.

Summary
There are alternative and perhaps highly effective methods of mosquito control available in chemical form but we believe more in biological treatments and this is why we are advising all of our clients and freinds to use things like Microbe-Lift BMC to eliminate their mosquito problems...but in the perfect world that I like to live in I wish we could just use waterfalls, fountains and bottom aeration to discourage these little buggers...but alas...the mosquitoes often get ito the screening on the lawn of the perfect world in my mind!

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