Oak Park Conservatory offers tips for keeping mosquitoes away

As mosquitoes make their summer debut, the Oak Park Conservatory is offering residents some ideas to keep the pests away from people’s homes, according to information provided on the Park District of Oak Park website.

Mosquitoes generally breed successfully in wetlands, ponds or flowing streams because their larvae are usually consumed by predators, according to the conservatory. Their favorite spots include standing water which is around for a week or two like unchanged birdbaths, undrained containers including wheelbarrows, tire ruts or depressed areas on the lawn.

People can prevent water from accumulating in those kinds of places by building rain gardens or bioswales which prevent the kind of flooding which allows mosquitoes to breed. The water which flows into these systems can provide a habitat for animals which tend to eat mosquitoes.