By Karin Fangman, Del Ray Mosquito Team
Alexandria, VA – The Del Ray neighborhood mosquito control effort, called Nature’s Best Mosquito Control, started in April 2023. Del Ray residents set up a table and gave neighbors the knowledge and supplies to control mosquitoes – without harming other insects, birds, children, and pets with harmful chemicals. As a result, many neighbors (including those who stopped using the mosquito spray companies) found that they could finally enjoy their yards in the summer without mosquito bites.
These efforts were inspired by Douglas Tallamy, a professor in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware. He writes extensively on what people can do to better support our natural environment. In his book, “Nature’s Best Hope,” he recommends avoiding mosquito control companies whose sprays indiscriminately kill all insects, including pollinators, fireflies, and butterflies. Instead, he proposes a non-toxic method that uses a product typically sold in hardware stores that contains a bacterium (Bacillus thuringiensis or Bt) that is harmful only to the mosquito larvae that hatch in the trap. Common products are called Mosquito Dunks or Mosquito Bits.
Nature’s Best Mosquito Control is simple and cheap. Just buy a few buckets (or more if you have a larger yard), fill them with water and a handful of straw or leaves, and place them in a sunny spot. After a day or two, put a piece of mosquito dunk or a half tablespoon of granules in each bucket and place them in shady spots that mosquitoes love. Each month thereafter during mosquito season, place fresh mosquito dunk tablets in each bucket. Check to make sure the buckets don’t dry out during dry spells or overflow during wet periods.
For more information, visit audubonva.org. Look for the article about setting up a mosquito larva traps and consult the city’s mosquito prevention webpage.
ICYMI: Alexandria City Says Register Now for Free Zoom Talk on Mosquito & Tick Management, May 6
