Mosquito Bucket Challenge 
Mosquito Bucket Challenge
Join thousands reducing mosquitoes without fogging—in your own yard.
A project by Homegrown National Park
Why spraying doesn’t work, and what to do instead
Homegrown National Park co-founder Doug Tallamy explains why
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Mosquitoes are often controlled with broad pesticide spraying, sometimes called fogging. These treatments don't just affect mosquitoes. They can kill caterpillars, fireflies, dragonflies, pollinators, and other wildlife, and they can be harmful to kids and pets.
The Mosquito Bucket Challenge is a more targeted approach. The goal isn't to wipe out every mosquito, just to reduce the ones biting where you spend time outside, without harming the rest of the ecosystem. Simple, inexpensive, and better for biodiversity.
The Whole-Yard Method
The most effective approach to controlling mosquitoes without fogging treats your yard as a system:
STEP 1
Support a healthy habitat.
Plant native and skip sprays to create a healthy yard that supports dragonflies, birds, and bats that eat mosquitoes.
STEP 2
Make a Mosquito Bucket.
Target larvae in a controlled spot before they become biting adults.
STEP 3
Dump standing water.
Empty containers, gutters, and saucers, anywhere stagnant water collects.
STEP 4
Treat standing water you can't dump.
Use mosquito dunks in birdbaths, rain barrels, and ponds.
STEP 5
Protect yourself when needed.
Use screens, fans, repellents, and protective clothing to help reduce bites.
STEP 6
Get your neighbors involved.
Mosquito management works best when the whole community participates.
TRACK YOUR IMPACT
Make Your Bucket Count
You’re reducing mosquitoes without fogging—helping protect bees, butterflies, and fireflies in your yard
Now add your bucket to the Homegrown National Park Biodiversity Map so your impact is counted alongside thousands of others.
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More Steps for a Healthy Yard
Here are other ways to support the life around you.
