Mosquito
Posted by Jon Goldstein on May 26, 2006
Q: I am concerned about standing water in rain gutters serving as a breeding habitat for tiger mosquitos. Do mosquitos breed only at ground level or do they fly high enough to utilize the gutters on the roof?
Habitat: suburban/yard
State: Maryland
Habitat: suburban/yard
A: What a good question! My impression is that they spend most of their time near ground level. Adult mosquitoes in the East are most common around low shrubs and plants so I wouldn't expect to see them at gutter level. Of course, each time it rains, any wigglers present would be washed out of the gutters. If you do find that your gutters are holding water, try manipulating them so they'll drain. If that can't be done, guess I'd check them from time to time to see if there are wigglers there. If there are wigglers at some point, get a hose and flush them out. Hope this helps. If you do find wigglers in your gutters this summer, please get back to me to let me know - I'm curious.
John Wiessinger ( May 26, 2006)