How to Keep Mosquitoes Away from Your Pool or Water Features in Northern VA

Mosquitoes are often one of the biggest deterrents from enjoying time outside. Unfortunately, mosquitoes are a major problem here in Northern Virginia. Our warm, humid climate and abundant water sources make the region an optimal habitat for these bloodsuckers.

While mosquitoes need water to survive and reproduce, many homeowners misunderstand what that means on their property. People are typically concerned about mosquito control in water features and how to keep mosquitoes away from pool areas.

Jump to Section

• Why Do Mosquitoes Need Water?
• Do Swimming Pools Attract Mosquitoes?
• How Do I Keep Mosquitoes Away From My Pool?
• Water Feature Mosquito Control
• FAQs on Backyard Mosquito Treatment
• Choosing Outdoor Pest Control in Northern Virginia

In this article, we’ll cover these concerns and more.

To get you expert information, we spoke to our pest control guru, Grant Osvalds, about everything you need to know. Grant is our Director of Lawn Care, Plant Health Care, and Pest Defense, and he’s always exploring the best ways to implement effective mosquito control in Northern Virginia.

Why Do Mosquitoes Need Water?

Mosquitoes need water as part of their reproduction cycle. These pests lay their eggs in water, and mosquito larvae need it to survive.

Every mosquito begins its life in the water as a “wiggler,” which is actually an aquatic creature. In the early stages, wigglers feed on microorganisms, algae, and organic matter. Mosquitoes remain aquatic until they transform into adults.

While it’s true that mosquitoes need water, it’s a very important fact that they cannot survive in flowing water. Floating eggs remain in place in areas of standing water, but flowing water would scatter them and would be too much for wigglers to survive.

This is why mosquitoes specifically seek out stagnant, standing water. Stagnant water also contains organic matter that mosquitoes eat to survive.

Do Swimming Pools Attract Mosquitoes?

Mosquitoes around swimming pools are naturally a concern for pool owners. If you have a pool, you want to enjoy time outside, not be worried about mosquitoes.

The good news is that properly maintained swimming pools are not a natural attractor for mosquitoes.

That’s because properly maintained pools have circulating, chlorinated water, which isn't a hospitable environment for mosquitoes to lay eggs. They also lack the food sources (organic matter) mosquitoes seek.

As we’ve mentioned, mosquitoes are specifically looking for shallow, stagnant water. A filtered pool with constant movement does not provide this.

However, if you have a poorly maintained pool, that’s a different story. If a pump isn’t running and water becomes stagnant, a pool can become a mosquito hot spot.

Mosquitoes around swimming pools can also emerge if you have a lot of shrubbery and other good places for mosquitoes to land and rest. Landscaping around a pool often creates a natural mosquito habitat. So, while the pool itself might not become a breeding ground, that’s not to say that mosquitoes around swimming pools won’t still be a problem.

How Do I Keep Mosquitoes Away From My Pool?

First and foremost, practice good pool mosquito prevention by keeping the pool operating properly. That means keeping the pump running and the water circulating, keeping debris off the water's surface, and maintaining chemical balance.

But as we’ve mentioned, it’s the areas around the pool that can become a problem.

Good mosquito-control habits, such as maintaining tidy landscaping, keeping debris out of the yard, and using fans around seating areas, can help.

Removing areas of standing water is also incredibly important. The pool itself might not be stagnant, but water can still become stagnant in low spots in the yard, in plant saucers, and in clogged gutters, to name just a few.

Clogged gutters are often prime hotspots because they have everything a mosquito needs to survive: standing water PLUS organic debris. Clogged gutters also tend to be “out of sight, out of mind,” and people forget about them. This is why we always recommend gutter cleaning plans.

When considering pool areas, pool covers or tarps, remember that they can also create standing water if water collects on top of them.

Of course, we’d also always recommend professional mosquito control in Alexandria, Arlington, and Springfield, VA.

Investing in mosquito control will involve treating areas where mosquitoes tend to land and rest. Oftentimes, these are areas around a pool. A pest control technician will pay special attention to these areas, as they are also gathering spaces where you enjoy spending time outdoors.

At Kingstowne Lawn & Landscape, we offer the best possible value by bundling mosquito, flea, and tick control into a single program. Our Mosquito, Flea, and Tick Defense Program protects your family from three of the most problematic pests in our region.

Water Feature Mosquito Control

Unlike swimming pools, water features such as backyard fountains, bubblers, waterfalls, and properly circulated ponds generally do not attract mosquitoes. Since mosquitoes don't like flowing water, these generally don't pose a mosquito-breeding problem.

However, neglected water features or bird baths are a different story. These sites can become mosquito breeding grounds if the water stagnates.

For any intentional areas of standing water (like bird baths), we recommend using mosquito dunks, small donut-shaped larvicide products designed to target mosquitoes and safe for fish, birds, and people.

In addition to keeping water circulating, mosquito prevention for ponds will also involve treating mosquitoes around the pond, just as you would around a swimming pool. The problem is likely not the pond itself, but the surrounding areas. Make sure you maintain the pond year-round. Neglected ponds can become mosquito magnets if given the chance.

FAQs on Backyard Mosquito Treatment

Can backyard water features cause mosquito problems?

If properly maintained, a backyard water feature should not cause mosquito problems. Water features have circulating, usually chemically treated water, which does not make them an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes.

Will a fountain or waterfall keep mosquitoes away?

Yes, moving water features can help keep mosquitoes away. That’s because a fountain or waterfall helps keep water moving, which discourages mosquitoes from laying eggs.

Mosquitoes are specifically looking for areas of stagnant water. But water features alone will not solve a mosquito problem on your property, as there are likely many other places they can lay their eggs.

What causes mosquitoes to gather in my backyard, even without a pool?

Standing water can pop up in unexpected places, such as low spots in the yard, clogged gutters, children’s toys left outside, kiddie pools, tarps, garden beds, and more. These areas of standing water attract mosquitoes.

How can I enjoy my backyard without mosquitoes all summer?

The most effective way to keep mosquitoes away from your yard is a professional mosquito yard spray applied to mosquito habitats, including shrubs, ornamental grasses, the undersides of decks, and patio areas (to name just a few). Since mosquitoes often land to rest, a professional-grade product will take care of them when this occurs.

Choosing Outdoor Pest Control in Northern Virginia

Getting the most out of mosquito control in Northern Virginia is going to boil down to choosing a company that is truly looking to help you solve your problems.

At Kingstowne Lawn & Landscape, we go the extra mile to identify standing water on your property so we can address the root cause and eliminate breeding grounds.

Because we offer a full array of landscape maintenance, installation, and drainage solutions, we can address these issues more effectively than a typical mosquito service.

We also offer gutter cleaning. If your gutters are clogged with debris, it won’t matter how many times you spray; these pests will just keep coming. Unfortunately, many outdoor pest control companies don’t really care about finding the source of your problem. We’ve been told most companies focus on frequent spraying and don't care about the root cause of why mosquitoes keep returning.

If you’re ready to take back your yard, investing in professional mosquito control will give you the best results. And at Kingstowne Lawn & Landscape, you also get flea and tick services automatically included. Our Mosquito, Flea, and Tick Defense Program covers it all.

That means you can gain the peace of mind that your property is being protected. Instead of having to worry about mosquitoes lurking around, waiting for their next meal, you and your family can go back to enjoying time outdoors.

If you’re ready to stop worrying about mosquitoes, request a quote, get your customized plan, and then sit back and relax as you get the royal treatment.