The Mosquito Bucket Challenge
A Safer Alternative to Fogging
Powered by Homegrown National Park
What It’s All About
Mosquito fogging kills nearly everything in your yard...except mosquitoes.
If you're working to create a thriving, biodiverse yard full of life, it doesn't make sense to kill it all with fogging!
The Mosquito Bucket Challenge is a simple, visible way to protect pollinators, birds, frogs, fireflies, and your family—without toxic sprays. By safely targeting mosquito larvae, each bucket helps save the wildlife that fogging puts at risk.
It’s safe, it's affordable, it's better for biodiversity. And it actually works.
How the Mosquito Bucket Works
Mosquitoes lay eggs in standing water. This bucket gives them a place to do that, then stops them. A natural soil bacterium called Bti (found in mosquito dunks) kills the larvae before they grow up and bite. This method, sometimes called a “bucket of doom” or “mosquito tea,” creates an irresistible breeding site and then shuts it down—without harming pollinators, pets, or people.
- Safe for pollinators
- Safe for pets and children
- Targets mosquito breeding where it starts
What You’ll Need
- A large bucket - 5-gallon works great, but any larger container that holds water will work. See FAQs below for a list of places that offer free buckets.
- Water
- A small handful of dead leaves or grass clippings.
- Mosquito dunks containing Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) - widely available online and at most hardware stores, garden centers, or home improvement retailers.
- A bucket lid, wire mesh or a sturdy stick.
- Marker or paint for decorating.
How To Make It
How-To Video with Lid/Wire Mesh Cover
How-To Video with Stick
Step 1 - Decorate (Optional)
Decorate it with markers or paint pens. Feel free to make it as simple or elaborate as you'd like. You can also decorate a piece of posterboard and tape it on.
Step 1 - Decorate (Optional)
Decorate it with markers or paint pens. Feel free to make it as simple or elaborate as you'd like. You can also decorate a piece of posterboard and tape it on.
Step 2 - Add Water
Fill the bucket about two-thirds full with water.
Step 2 - Add Water
Fill the bucket about two-thirds full with water.
Step 3 - Make It Funky
Add a small handful of dead leaves or grass clippings (you want to make the water stinky!).
Leave plenty of water surface area so mosquitoes have room to land and lay eggs.
Step 3 - Make It Funky
Add a small handful of dead leaves or grass clippings (you want to make the water stinky!).
Leave plenty of water surface area so mosquitoes have room to land and lay eggs.
Step 4 - Add Your Dunk
Break up your mosquito dunk and drop approximately one-quarter of the dunk into your bucket.
Step 4 - Add Your Dunk
Break up your mosquito dunk and drop approximately one-quarter of the dunk into your bucket.
Step 5 - Add Cover Or Stick
Add a lid with plenty of large holes drilled or wire secured with a rock or zip ties. Alternatively, (if you don't have pets or small kids), place a stick in the bucket so it leans out above the rim. This gives small animals an escape route if they fall in.
Step 5 - Add Cover Or Stick
Add a lid with plenty of large holes drilled or wire secured with a rock or zip ties. Alternatively, (if you don't have pets or small kids), place a stick in the bucket so it leans out above the rim. This gives small animals an escape route if they fall in.
Step 6 - Place Your Bucket
Place the bucket in a quiet, shady area, away from your house, play areas, or gathering spots. If you have pets or small kids around, place your bucket up high to keep it safe and out of reach. Add additional buckets if you have a larger yard.
Corners of the yard or property lines often work well. Every yard is different—try a spot that stays damp and quiet.
Step 6 - Place Your Bucket
Place the bucket in a quiet, shady area, away from your house, play areas, or gathering spots. If you have pets or small kids around, place your bucket up high to keep it safe and out of reach. Add additional buckets if you have a larger yard.
Corners of the yard or property lines often work well. Every yard is different—try a spot that stays damp and quiet.
Step 7 - Show It Off
Post your bucket on social media using the hashtag #MosquitoBucketChallenge! Find additional copy-and-paste text suggestions below.
Step 7 - Show It Off
Post your bucket on social media using the hashtag #MosquitoBucketChallenge! Find additional copy-and-paste text suggestions below.
Additional Tips
- It's helpful to start early in your mosquito season, before mosquito populations explode.
- Speed up the "funkification" of your water by leaving your bucket in the sun for a few days.
- Drill a hole where you want the water line so that any excess water from rain doesn't cause your bucket to overflow.
Join the Challenge
Post a photo or video of your bucket using #MosquitoBucketChallenge. Remember to tag us when you share. We’ll feature some of our favorite buckets on this page and across our social channels!
Use one of these ready-to-copy captions:
Option 1
🪣 I joined the #MosquitoBucketChallenge from #HomegrownNationalPark!
No fogging. No sprays. No harm to bees 🐝 , butterflies 🦋, fireflies, birds 🐦⬛, or kids.
Stop the bite. Save the buzz.
Learn how: visit link in bio @HomegrownNationalPark
Option 2
Mosquito fogging kills everything except mosquitoes.
🪣 This bucket does it better, without harming pollinators or people.
Learn how: visit link in bio @HomegrownNationalPark
#MosquitoBucketChallenge #HomegrownNationalPark
Option 1
🪣 I joined the #MosquitoBucketChallenge from #HomegrownNationalPark!
No fogging. No sprays. No harm to bees 🐝 , butterflies 🦋, fireflies, birds 🐦⬛, or kids.
Stop the bite. Save the buzz.
Learn how: visit link in bio @HomegrownNationalPark
Option 2
Mosquito fogging kills everything except mosquitoes.
🪣 This bucket does it better, without harming pollinators or people.
Learn how: visit link in bio @HomegrownNationalPark
#MosquitoBucketChallenge #HomegrownNationalPark
Social Media Profile Graphic
You can also use our Mosquito Bucket Challenge image as your temporary Facebook or Instagram profile picture!
As Seen In Your Yard
Show us your bucket #MosquitoBucketChallenge
Made by our amazing community, these beautiful buckets help spread the word about safer, pollinator-friendly solutions.
Why Not Fog?
Mosquito fogging may sound like a quick fix, but it kills nearly everything except mosquitoes.
It harms bees, butterflies, fireflies, frogs, beneficial bugs, nesting birds—and it doesn’t stop mosquitoes from breeding. Most fogging only knocks down a small percentage of adult mosquitoes, then disappears.
If you're planting native plants, supporting pollinators, or trying to create a habitat-friendly yard, fogging undoes much of that work. You're inviting life in, then wiping it out.
Mosquito buckets work better and they're affordable. They interrupt the mosquito life cycle before it gets airborne, and they leave everything else alone.
FAQs
Where do I get a mosquito dunk?
Mosquito dunks containing Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) are widely available online and at most hardware stores, garden centers, or home improvement retailers. Look in the pest control or outdoor garden section. One dunk can be split into multiple sections. Approximately one-quarter of a dunk is right for a 5-gallon bucket.
Is this safe for kids and pets?
Yes. Bti is non-toxic to humans and animals. Just place the bucket out of reach so it's not a drowning hazard and add a stick so small animals can escape if needed. If you'd like more info, refer to the EPA website.
How many buckets do I need?
There’s no set number. One or two is a great start for most yards. Larger properties or areas near standing water may need more. Try placing them in different shady areas and see what works best.
Doesn’t this just attract more mosquitoes to my yard?
Not exactly. Mosquitoes are already in your yard, laying eggs in any bit of standing water they can find (plant saucers, gutters, toys, puddles). This bucket gives them a place to lay eggs that you control, and then it stops the larvae before they can grow up and bite.
So instead of spreading mosquito breeding across your yard, you’re concentrating it in one place...and shutting it down.
Do I need to dump the water every month?
No. Just add a new quarter dunk every 30 days - you want that water funky. If the water dries up or becomes unusable, you can rinse and restart, but regular refilling is usually enough.
Where should I dump the water when I do empty the bucket?
It's safe to empty into a garden bed or lawn.
Where can I get free buckets?
Many businesses discard food-grade 5-gallon buckets and may be willing to give you one for free. Call ahead to check availability.
Places to try:
- Donut shops (e.g., Dunkin’, Tim Hortons)
- Fast food restaurants (e.g., Chick-fil-A, Wendy’s)
- Big box stores with bakeries (e.g., Walmart, Meijer, Sam’s Club)
- Grocery store bakeries (e.g., Kroger, Safeway)
Ask for empty icing or food ingredient buckets. They’re perfect for this project and help keep waste out of landfills.
Why should I decorate my bucket?
It’s a visible way to spread the message! The more people see these buckets around (in person and on social media), the more likely they are to ditch the fogger and try it themselves.
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