Have you ever touched pond water and watched hundreds of little larvae squiggle around in the water? These are mosquitoes-in-waiting, and although harmless at this stage, they quickly turn into flying bloodsuckers. Watch out, they are on the list of the top ten killers in the world, with over two million deaths a year! You won't die from their bite; however, they carry diseases that are transferred to humans when they bite. In the Northwest, the mosquitoes can carry the West Nile Virus.

Starting in April and continuing through the warmer monthes, it's mosquito larvae time!

Adding fish to your ponds or other water containers will attract raccoons that will also destroy plants, knock over fountains, and generally become a regular pest in your garden. Consider arming your water feature with an environmentally friendly Bt doughnut called Mosquito Dunks. This organic control is harmless to everyone — unless you are a 'squito.

You can buy Mosquito Dunks at your local nursery, garden center, or hardware store. Regularly check the water for signs of the larvae and reapply as necessary. For smaller water features, break the donuts up into little pieces.