Ensure that things in and around the yard like pool covers, saucers under flower pots, children's toys, pet bowls and wading pools are regularly emptied of standing water. Clean eavestroughs of debris regularly so water does not accumulate. Empty and clean bird baths twice weekly. Ensure that openings in rain barrels are covered with mosquito screening or tightly sealed around the down spout. Aerate ornamental ponds and stock with fish that eat mosquito larvae.
Old tires are one of the most common mosquito breeding sites.
Ensure that your yard is free of debris, such as old tires, that can accumulate rain water. Larvae hatch from eggs and feed and develop in these habitats, usually over a period of several weeks. Larvicides are chemical or biological agents that are used to destroy mosquito larvae and they are applied directly to standing water where larvae are developing. Larvicides can be used to control mosquitoes whenever larvae are present. Thus larvicides may be used in Canada, during the spring and summer months, to reduce local mosquito populations, in areas where WN virus activity is anticipated.