Did you know that?

Mosquitoes that bite or harass us move little. They are often born in our immediate environment. The best way to get rid of them and avoid bites is to limit the egg-laying sites around our homes.

Tips for eliminating mosquito breeding sites around the home.

Principle: no standing water = no mosquitoes!

1. Toys & containers: toys, buckets, pots, vases, garbage cans, wheelbarrows, tyres, and any object likely to accumulate rainwater.
2. Basins & outdoor pools: regularly clean the walls and remove dead leaves.
3. Potted plants: empty and clean the saucers once a week, or put sand in the saucers and ration the watering to avoid standing water.
4. Fountains, bowls & water troughs, small removable pools: change the water and clean at least once a week.
5. Rainwater tanks: cover with a cover, mosquito net or cloth. Turn them upside down when they are not being used.
6. Gutters, drains & flat roofs: ensure good rainwater drainage.
7. Protective tarpaulins (eg. firewood): arrange them in such a way that rainwater runs off and cannot form puddles.
8. Puddles & depressions: fill in bumps and cracks to avoid the formation of persistent puddles.
9. Near-natural ponds: limited risk of colonisation, as they are rich in predators (dragonflies, amphibians, fish, etc.). Regularly collect dead leaves in and around the pond.

Leaflet to download

• Ries, C. & F. Schaffner, 2019. Conseils pour éliminer les gîtes larvaires de moustiques autour de son habitation. Dépliant en 4 langues (FR, LB, DE, PT), 2 p. Éditeurs: Musée national d’histoire naturelle, Direction de la santé (MS), Département de l’environnement (MECDD) [PDF 1.5 MB]