Mosquito Breeding Ground - Suggestions?

[Flip217]

There's a unused (unusable) in-ground pool not far from my house, and it's usually got a foot or so of standing water in it. A neighbor whose property borders this one has been throwing mosquito "dunks" into the pool for the last couple summers, but she says the results seem to be ineffective, and she's growing sick and tired of paying out of her pocket to control a problem that is her neighbor's.

Both she and I (and a few other neighbors, I think) have called the City Health Dept regarding this, since they say they will help with outdoor vector control, but nothing is done.

I want to point out that the property owner is on a limited income and has investigated filling in the pool, but the cost is way out of her budget.

Is there a solution to this that I haven't thought of yet? I haven't found any wholesale suppliers of dragonfly larvae....

[JohnnyTightlips]

Get a submersible pump and periodically empty the pool. I've bought a pump for emptying my pool and they are very inexpensive. You and your neighbors can donate it if the owner is on a limited income. She just needs to make sure to plug it in and use it every once in a while.

[OldMama]

The pumps are $50.00 or so which is not so high as the fine the owner can get for not keeping the pool empty or clean. Sometimes they are called "cover pumps."

Another option is covering the pool. Google pool covers for prices- which can be high.

I understand the limited income part, but stagnant water is a breeding ground for mosquitos and, as we all know, many carry disease. Lack of funds cannot be the basis for dealing with this, unfortunately.

[johnnie]

Why not just bust up the bottom of the deep end of the pool with a hammer drill/ sledge hammer or even better yet dynamite (kidding with the last one)!!!? Problem solved since it will drain.

[Flip217]

I appreciate the suggestions! A couple points -- she did put a cover on last year, apparently, but it was ripped down into the pool during the big snow storm and hasn't been replaced / repaired. Also, as for busting up the bottom of the pool, I think the bottom is already pretty screwed up, which is why the pool can't be used. But I think years of leaves & debris have coated the bottom with a pretty big layer of gunk, and the water doesn't drain, or if it does, it drains very slowly.

I was hoping the city might help her out with some sort of chemical application (not a big fan of more insecticides in the environment, but I'm not a big fan of West Nile virus, either) or maybe even be willing to help her fill the pool in somehow.

The submersible pump sounds like a decent solution...but I wonder if it would be used as often as it should.

[stock]

Drill several holes with a large hammer drill in the low spot, it will all drain.

[boognish]

I ran a west nile virus program in 2003, and I suggest in the short term you look into this: ORM-D Siphotrol Mosquito Larvacide Granules, 12 oz - DiscountedPetProducts.Net

Not a fan of the active chemical methoprene, as I prefer the "dunks" which are made from Bt. But if they don't seem to be effective, this is the good stuff.

All that said, are you sure they were all coming from her pool despite the dunks? These darn things can breed in a dixie cup of water. Lots of folks don't keep their gutters in tip-top shape, have the random bucket sitting around etc. Also, grasses should be kept at a minimum as that's where the WNV mosquitoes hang out in the day.

If you're really concerned about WNV, use a good deet-based repellant during dusk and dawn if you happen to be outside. That's when the vector species is most active. Not all mosquitoes are capable of carrying the virus.

[HomeGirl]

You and other neighbors might put up bat houses to encourage bats to come and eat the mosquitos. Incidents of getting bitten by a rabid bad are rare. Bats and Rabies

[Hal]

Is there a solution to this that I haven't thought of yet? I haven't found any wholesale suppliers of dragonfly larvae....

Milliken.


Oil drop experiment.

Find the nearest place with a deep fryer, take the used fryer oil and add by the cup until the water surface is covered.

Cheap soap is another option -


Hal