Ditch The Chemicals — The Simple Solution From Lowe's That Adds Mosquito Protection To Bird Baths

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You know that if you want to enjoy watching the antics of the feathered visitors to your yard, providing them with water is essential. But unfortunately, it's not only the birds that will enjoy the nice, cool bird bath. During the warmer months of summer, mosquitoes will flock to a bird bath to lay their eggs in the water, and if you don't deal with this problem, your summer evenings could soon be overrun with pests. While you should follow the critical bird bath cleaning dos and don'ts, there's also a simple solution you can buy at Lowe's, and it doesn't involve using toxic chemicals. Mosquito Dunks are a natural way to kill the larvae before they have time to become flying nuisances.

The small, round donuts currently come in a pack of 6 for just $8.58, and each one can decimate the mosquito larvae in your bird bath for at least 30 days. You just float one in the water, and it releases a bacterium, which is fatal for mosquito larvae. It's a natural bacterium found in soils known as Bacillus thuringiensis, subspecies israelensis (Bti), and produces toxic spores that only target mosquito, fungus gnat, and blackfly larvae. It's completely safe for pets and wildlife and even approved for use in organic farming. Not only are Mosquito Dunks perfect for your bird bath, but they can also be used in koi ponds, rain barrels, and any other places where water collects. Each dunk will cover up to 100 square feet of water, no matter the depth.

Customers who purchased Mosquito Dunks from Lowe's have given them a score of 4.6 out of 5 stars. Many marvel at how effective this product is, and you'll find that the mosquito dunks can have a variety of uses other than just dropping one into your birdbath. "With all the rain we have had, these anti-mosquito dunks have worked great in my fountains, my flower pot catch trays, and even in puddles that take a long time to evaporate," one reviewer wrote on the Lowe's website, "Living in deep woods, I use them consistently and see a reduction in biting pests."

You can even use them to make clever "traps," a smart idea if you don't have water on your property, but perhaps your neighbors do. The North Carolina Cooperative Extension suggests filling a plastic bucket halfway with water and some straw, hay, or dried leaves. Leave this outside for about 3 days so that it ferments and releases mosquito-attracting gases. You might like to cover the top of the bucket with chicken wire to prevent animals and children from accessing the water. Then, drop a dunk on top of the straw to do its thing. Add more water periodically as it evaporates and replace the dunk every three to four weeks.

In addition to becoming a household staple to repel mosquitoes, if you're trying to get rid of fungas gnats around your indoor plants, you'll find that these mosquito dunks can help to alleviate that issue as well. All you have to do is steep a dunk (placed in an old piece of pantyhose or cheesecloth) in 1 gallon of water for around 24 hours to make a larvicidal tea. Then, use this liquid to water your houseplants.