How Valley pest control experts say you can keep mosquitoes out of your backyard

BUCKEYE, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) - With rain in the forecast this week, pest control experts say now is the time to make sure your backyard doesn’t become a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

Denis Logan, the owner of Mosquito Joe of North Phoenix, said that homeowners should take a close look at their backyards for any standing water. That includes gutters, potted plants, or water features It only takes about a quarter of an inch of water for mosquitoes to breed, Logan said, which equates to about a bottlecap of liquid.

He said making sure your property is free of standing water and mosquitoes is a community effort. According to spokesperson Johnny Dilone for the Maricopa County Environmental Services Department, traps in the county have been collecting more floodwater mosquitoes. Those are the daytime biters that are not known to carry mosquito-borne diseases.

Dilone says usually about a week after a large rain is when mosquitoes will complete their lifecycle and you’ll notice more. Here is some advice to protect and prepare your home:

• REPEL mosquitoes using EPA-registered insect repellent.
• REMOVE standing water from your home and yard.
• REPAIR or replace damaged window and door screens.
• REMIND your family, friends, and neighbors about mosquito safety.

To learn more tips to keep your family and others safe, click here. In terms of West Nile cases, Dilone says numbers are very low so far this season in Maricopa County. However, cases of Saint Louis Encephalitis (SLE) are much higher. So far there have been no human cases, just a few suspect cases.

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