trying something new this year called the Mosquito Bucket Challenge!
it's an initiative being pushed by Homegrown National Park as an alternative to mosquito spraying and pesticides
the key concept is intentionally attracting mosquitos to buckets with standing water, but adding mosquito dunks to prevent them from successfully reproducing
mosquito dunks are a product containing a bacteria called Bti, which prevents larvae from developing into adult mosquitos
Bti does not affect most other animals/insects, and is thus safe for wildlife and pollinators! you can find mosquito dunks easily online or at home improvement stores
so basically, you fill the bucket up with organic material like leaves, add water and a quarter of a mosquito dunk once a month....and that's about it! you also use a wire cover or a "rescue stick" to prevent other creatures from falling into the bucket and not being able to climb out
Homegrown National Park is encouraging people to decorate their buckets to help spread the word, but i am lazy so Lowe's logo and a tumblr post it is
we can talk about the important role mosquitos play in ecosystems, but the reality is that many people won't tolerate high numbers of mosquitos in their yards. this is an easy and low-cost alternative to much more harmful control methods – a bucket, mosquito dunks and some chicken wire cost me a total of about $20!
you can read more about the Mosquito Bucket Challenge here! please consider reblogging or making a bucket this year 🐝
little update on this now that it's the end of May!
every year around spring, being outside becomes intolerable because of the mosquitos, which also get into my house when i take my dogs out
so i'm REALLY excited to say that my outdoor spaces are actually usable this year! i think i've been bitten by one mosquito all season and i'm outside gardening pretty much every day 🙌
highly recommend giving mosquito buckets a shot!!!!!
