Reduce Mosquito Breeding Sites

Reduce Mosquito Breeding Sites Around Your Home

The carrier of West Nile virus WNV, the Culex mosquito, flies only one-to-two miles. A new hatch of mosquitoes can be produced in an area of stagnant water every seven-to-10 days. Removing standing water around your home will help reduce the mosquito population.

Breeding Site Elimination

Eliminating the following stagnant water sites around homes will reduce the risk of disease:

  • Discard the following:
    • Bottles
    • Buckets
    • Old tires
    • Tin cans
    • Other water-holding containers
  • Fill-in or drain any low places in the yard, holes in trees and hollow stumps.
  • Keep gutters, drains and ditches clean so that water will drain properly. Repair leaky pipes and faucets.
  • Cover trash containers to keep out rainwater.
  • Empty plastic wading pools at least once a week and store indoors when not in use.
  • Change the water in birdbaths and plant pots at least once a week and stock ornamental ponds with mosquito-eating fish, or use mosquito larva-control products.
  • Keep grass short and shrubbery well trimmed around the house.
  • Report mosquito-breeding sites to your local mosquito control agency.

Crows, Blue Jays, and RaptorsCrow

The DuPage County Health Department (DCHD) may collect crows and blue jays for its WNV surveillance program. These birds are very sensitive to WNV and they can indicate the presence of the virus in an area. Crows and blue jays will continue to be collected and tested for WNV until DCHD receives enough evidence that the virus is throughout the county. Once DCHD receives several positive birds for the virus, it may suspend its WNV bird surveillance program.

Discarding and Reporting

If a dead bird is found, use rubber gloves or a plastic bag to pick-up the bird, double-bag it and place in the trash.

If a sick or injured wild bird (other than a crow or blue jay) or animal is found, contact the Willowbrook Wildlife Center at 630-942-6200.