The best way to cut down on mosquitoes is through water management. If you have any standing water on your property, you can limit habitat and breeding areas by filling in low spots that hold water or by observing proper drainage management. A common breeding area in many yards is in buckets, unused tires, gutters, bird baths, trash piles or other objects that can hold water for a week or longer. Additionally, if you have a lake or pond on your property, a common tool to limit mosquito growth is the use of a fountain or water agitator.
Adult mosquito application by Division of Environmental Health and Protection staff is a complaint-based process — meaning we only spray when residents alert us that mosquitoes are a problem in their neighborhood. Please call our office at 636-949-1800 or complete this online form to alert us to potential problems. A common question that you may be asked after this complaint is "Are the mosquitoes biting?" While this may seem to be a strange question, by asking it our staff can best predict when to spray in your area. Only female mosquitoes bite, and it may take up to two extra days for females to emerge versus male mosquitoes.
To protect yourself while outside, please apply a mosquito repellent containing DEET, picaridin, IR 3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus.