Mosquitoes start life as aquatic creatures: Their larvae and pupae, known as wrigglers and tumblers respectively, are born and mature in water, feeding on floating debris until they have developed sufficiently to fly off on their own as adults. In general, mosquitoes prefer to breed in still, almost stagnant bodies of water, such as marshes, swamps and small ponds. Many species, in fact, need only the tiniest pool of standing water for the purpose of laying eggs. A shallow puddle, a tire swing, an infant's pool, an empty bucket or an old tin can are just a few examples of potential mosquito hatcheries. Consequently, one of the best preventive measures you can take is to thoroughly examine your lawn and home after a good rain to see where water collects and stands. If you can conveniently eliminate a potential problem area (e.g. by leveling a low spot in the yard or by keeping empty flowerpots and watering cans in the garage until you need them), it makes good sense to do so as mosquitoes will then have one less place to lay their eggs.

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