Tried a rain barrel system and got mosquito problems instead

I installed a 50-gallon rain barrel off my downspout in June thinking it'd save on watering my vegetable beds. Within 2 weeks the screen plug had shifted and I had mosquito larvae everywhere. Next time I'm just buying a proper mesh cover from the start instead of rigging something with window screen. Has anyone else had luck keeping the bugs out of theirs without using chemicals?

3 comments

3 Comments

joel_clark371mo ago

Oh man, that larvae issue is the worst. I'd swap out that window screen for some 1mm stainless steel mesh right away, that's what finally worked for me. Also put a tight-fitting lid on top if you can, because even with good mesh, mosquitoes find tiny gaps. Another thing that helped was adding a few drops of mosquito dunk liquid to the water every couple weeks, it's not a harsh chemical and it kills the larvae without hurting your plants.

anderson.piper1mo ago

Totally second this @joel_clark37, the mesh upgrade was a game changer for me too.

rose_reed1mo ago

Jumped in and upgraded my barrel with 1mm mesh right after the first batch of larvae showed up. That window screen trick never holds tight enough, the bugs just slip in around the edges. Also added a tight lid with a rubber seal around the top spout opening, cost me like 12 bucks at the hardware store. Been three months now and not a single mosquito in there, even after all that summer rain. The mosquito dunk drops work too but I got lazy using them every few weeks.

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