I stopped using a rain barrel after it bred mosquitoes in my backyard

Last summer I set up a rain barrel in my Denver backyard thinking I was doing something good for the garden and the planet. About six weeks in I noticed a swarm of mosquitoes every time I walked near it. I opened the lid and there was a thick layer of larvae floating on top. Turned out I had forgotten to install a fine mesh screen over the inlet and the spigot seal was leaky so water pooled around the base. I spent two days dumping the barrel cleaning it out and drilling proper overflow holes. Ended up buying a $12 mosquito dunk and a tight screen kit from the local hardware store. My water bill dropped maybe $8 that month but the mosquito problem made me question whether these barrels are worth the hassle. Has anyone else had a rain barrel turn into a breeding ground? I still want to capture runoff but I need something a lot simpler.

3 comments

3 Comments

gracec161mo ago

Honestly, the Denver sun makes it worse since warm water breeds larvae faster. Tbh, a mosquito dunk every month is way easier than cleaning out a full barrel of nasty sludge. Ngl, getting a self sealing spigot and a fine mesh screen changed everything for me.

susanb341mo ago

Mesh screen is the real MVP there. Honestly the whole setup sounds like a game changer.

milarodriguez1mo ago

@gracec16 the "self sealing spigot" idea is gold. A fine mesh screen is non negotiable but that spigot upgrade cuts out half the hassle. Simple fixes really do turn a rain barrel from a chore into something useful.