Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes breed in standing water. A plant saucer or a blocked gutter is enough. Tip out the water and keep them out of the bedroom.
- Size
- Small, long legs
- Signs
- Whining at night, bites
- Breeds
- Standing water, in days
- Active
- Dusk and night, some by day
How to tell
Long legs
A thin body, long legs and a long mouthpart.
High whine
Their wing beat makes the high pitched whine at night.
Not crane flies
Crane flies are much bigger and do not bite.
Signs you have them
- Bites after evenings outside or at night.
- Larvae wriggling in buckets, saucers and water butts.
- A whine near your ear at night.
- Blocked gutters and puddles that never dry.
The plan
- 1
Tip out water
Saucers, buckets, toys and gutters, every week.
- 2
Screens and nets
Window screens and a bed net where needed.
- 3
Cover water butts
Lids or fine mesh on anything that holds water.
- 4
Follow health advice
Where mosquitoes carry illness, follow local guidance.
Solutions for mosquitoes
Window screens
Fine mesh that lets air in and keeps mosquitoes out.
Opens Google Maps. Call first to check they have it.
Bed net
A net over the bed for nights with mosquitoes.
Opens Google Maps. Call first to check they have it.
Shoo does not sell these yet. They are standard products sold by other shops; follow the label on the one you buy.
What people worry about
The windows are shut. Why am I still bitten?
Mosquitoes can breed in small amounts of water indoors or nearby and get in through small gaps. Check plant saucers and drip trays, and use screens and a bed net.
Can I keep them away without chemical sprays?
Yes. Most control is about water and barriers: tip out standing water weekly, cover water butts and fit screens.
The neighbours have a pond. Is there any point?
Yes. Screens and a bed net protect you indoors whatever is next door, and a friendly word about the pond can help too.
Are these mosquito bites or bed bugs?
Bites alone can look alike. Check the bed seams and use interceptors under the bed legs if you are not sure.
Can mosquitoes here make us ill?
In some places they carry illness. Follow local health advice, and see a doctor if you feel unwell after bites.