How does improving drainage help mosquito control?

How does improving drainage help mosquito control?

• A. It increases puddling and breeding sites.
• B. It has no effect on mosquito breeding.
• C. Improving drainage reduces standing water and breeding sites.
• D. It improves water quality for mosquito larvae.

Answer: (C)

Improving drainage reduces standing water, which is essential for many mosquito species to complete their life cycle. Mosquitoes lay eggs on or near water, and their larvae develop in still, pooled water. When drainage is better, water doesn’t linger after rain or irrigation, so puddles, low spots, clogged gutters, and other pooling sites dry up or disappear. With fewer habitats available for larvae, fewer mosquitoes survive to become adults, making drainage a straightforward and effective control measure. In contrast, increasing puddling would create more breeding sites, stating there’s no effect contradicts how quickly larvae can establish in standing water, and suggesting improved water quality for larvae misses the main point—the key factor is reducing habitat for breeding.

Improving drainage reduces standing water, which is essential for many mosquito species to complete their life cycle. Mosquitoes lay eggs on or near water, and their larvae develop in still, pooled water. When drainage is better, water doesn’t linger after rain or irrigation, so puddles, low spots, clogged gutters, and other pooling sites dry up or disappear. With fewer habitats available for larvae, fewer mosquitoes survive to become adults, making drainage a straightforward and effective control measure.

In contrast, increasing puddling would create more breeding sites, stating there’s no effect contradicts how quickly larvae can establish in standing water, and suggesting improved water quality for larvae misses the main point—the key factor is reducing habitat for breeding.