Mosquitoes can lay hundreds of eggs in just a spoonful of stagnant water. So if you have pools or bodies of water around your home and yard, they could be harbouring more mosquito eggs than you could imagine.

This can include bathtubs, ponds, paddle pools, water tanks, pot plants, pet bowls, puddles, bird baths, buckets and gutters. Even objects such as wheelbarrows and trailers can hold water if left outside without a tarp cover.

We suggest using netting or screens to protect over water storage vessels or emptying excess water where possible.

Inspect your plumbing, such as drains, pipes and taps, for water leaks on a regular basis and fix them before they create another breeding site.

With so many potential entry sites, we have some key mosquito prevention tips for your home.

Self-closing external doors not only save you time, but they are also useful to keep pests out of your home.

As the most obvious entry points for opportunistic mosquitoes, windows and doors can easily be fitted with screens to stop pesky mosquitoes from making their way inside.

Mosquito screens are also useful for rainwater and septic tank openings, which are popular breeding sites.

If you enjoy outdoor dining and entertaining consider screening off an undercover outdoor area such as your pergola, balcony or courtyard to minimise the number of mosquitoes joining you.

Though mosquitoes are very capable fliers, they will have trouble battling the stronger air currents generated by fans and air-conditioning units. Improving the flow of air will also reduce displaced moisture and reduce humidity.

Mosquito control treatments and devices are available from hardware stores. They are best used for treating a small mosquito population rather than a severe infestation.

Mosquito traps

These are most effective when baited with carbon dioxide.

Electronic mosquito killer devices

Use a combination of UV light, carbon dioxide and emit certain pheromones which attract not only mosquitoes, but often other beneficial flying insects such as moths as well.

Insecticide sprays

Fast acting and containing pyrethrin or pyrethrin derivatives, insecticide sprays can be applied to outdoor areas, including non-flowering and non-edible plants in your garden, as well as indoor areas. They can also be used as chemical barriers at access points around your home, such as doors, fly screens and windowsills.

At Allstate, we use the following two methods to control a mosquito outbreak, tackling the problem right at its very source:

Adulticides

Airborne with the ability to disperse over a large space and can target large outbreaks quickly. Our techniques include:

• Fogging

Generously applied to affected areas during dusk and dawn, when most mosquitoes are out and about, fogging machines create a thick, misty “fog” effect, penetrating hard to reach areas and remaining active on surfaces for 2-3 days. They are useful for enclosed areas in residential, industrial and commercial settings.

• Residual barrier treatments

For a longer lasting effect on smaller areas, up to 6-8 weeks, residual barrier treatments are recommended as a more targeted approach to mosquito control. They are suitable for outdoor areas including walls, foundations, eaves, fences and even shrubs and foliage.

Larvicides

Targeting a mosquito infestation where they breed, larvicides interfere with the development of mosquito larvae to reduce the population of mosquitoes. They are effective on larger bodies of water in your yard, such as ponds.