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Mosquito Dunks

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What are mosquito dunks?

Mosquito dunks are (as you can see) donut-shaped, stale-bread like contraption made up of at least 10% Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies israelensis, a Gram-positive bacteria which are particularly toxic to mosquito larvae. Mosquito dunks are generally used in standing sources of water, where mosquitoes are most likely to breed. They are a relatively new and innovative way to combat the propogation of mosquito populations. They are a natural mosquito killer, in other words this mosquito control product will have no adverse effects on the environment, or the water source they're dropped into; though you probably don't want to apply the dunk directly to a source of drinking water.

This product is not for the impatient consumer. It can take up to 3 weeks to see any effects, and it is recommended that people in the surrounding areas apply mosquito dunks to their standing water sources as well for optimal mosquito control.

How do mosquito dunks work?

Mosquito dunks aren't a repellent, or an adulticide, they are a larvicide, composed of a rod-shaped, endospore-forming aerobic bacteria. The donut itself is meant as a medium for the bacteria to begin growing; over time, the bacteria disseminate into the surrounding water. The bacteria then feed off of and kill the mosquito larva, using the larva for food as a bacterial infection might use us for food. Really, all you're doing is introducing a bacteria that will infect the mosquito larva and kill them before they can hatch and turn into adult mosquitoes.

How do I use mosquito dunks?

Using mosquito dunks is quite simply really. Each dunk should treat about 100 square feet of water, regardless of the depth of that water. Just take them out of the package and drop one in each water source you wish to treat. If it's a moving water source like a creek or slow moving river, you can anchor the dunk with a small string and weight (the effectiveness of the mosquito dunk shouldn't be affected by this).

Just remember: don't apply directly to sources of water that will be used as a drinking supply. Mosquito dunks can take several weeks to produce results, and a community effort is highly recommended.


(Packaged mosquito dunks)


(Drop the mosquito dunk in water)


(Most mosquito dunks treat standing water sources for up to 30 days.)

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Disclaimer: Neither Jonathan Hatch nor Natasha Laumei can accept any responsibility for any injury or damage that you may cause to yourself, others, or property when following any advice given on this site.