Flowing river water itself breeds very few mosquitoes. But standing water does breed mosquitoes, which is why the river's calm backwaters, floodplains, and the pools left behind after the water rises and recedes can all be problems.
It's a fair assumption that a river next door guarantees a mosquito problem. But it’s not quite that simple. Moving water isn’t much of an issue. It’s the still water that tends to show up next to moving water that is.
Mosquitoes breed in still, standing water, and they lay their eggs where the surface is calm. Flowing water, the main channel of a river, disturbs and washes away eggs and larvae and supports predators like fish. If the water has a current, in other words, it’s probably not going to let mosquitoes set up shop there.
Mosquitoes come from the margins of the rivers instead. Rivers leave behind slow backwaters, oxbows, side channels, and eddies. There, the flow stalls. That lets mosquitoes breed. The same is true for floodplains and low-lying banks that stay wet.
Many riverine and floodwater species fly well and will move from the backwaters and floodplain into nearby yards to feed. That means if you happen to have a home near the Rock River or its tributaries, you can get the mosquitoes the still margins produce even without standing water on your own property.
The frustrating part, of course, is that you can’t treat the river directly. You can’t treat the floodplain next to it either. But you can manage your own property. And to do that, removing sources of standing water and trimming back dense vegetation go a long way. If that’s not quite enough, you can always call a professional for more help.
If you're tired of blaming the river for a yard you can't enjoy, Mosquito Squad of Rockford can help. Mosquito Squad treats the resting areas on your property and helps you cut your own breeding sources. This can help you to protect your yard with up to 90% reduction in mosquito activity on a recurring 21-day cycle.
