What are mosquito buckets of doom? 
These buckets are low-cost, natural ways to control mosquitos. Grass and water are combined in buckets or other containers along with mosquito dunks. The decomposing organic material releases carbon dioxide, which attract mosquitos to lay their eggs in the water. The dunk disk has BTi as an active ingredient; BTi is a naturally occurring bacteria produces toxins that specifically target and only affect the larvae of the mosquito, blackfly and fungus gnat. BTi is non-toxic to all other wildlife, pets, fish, and humans. Learn more.

Do I need to use a big plastic bucket?
No! You can use any water container that suits your space. Some people use smaller containers, more decorative containers, or buckets that are painted to blend in! Learn more.

How many buckets/dunks do I need?
– Number of buckets depends on your space. The recommendation is two 5-gallon buckets per 1/3 acre (1/3 acre = 14,520 sq ft).
– Number of dunks depends on your approach. At a minimum, each bucket needs 1/4 of a dunk every 30 days. However, some people find it easier to just toss in a whole dunk every month. More dunk won’t work better, but it also won’t cause any problems. 

Where should I place my buckets?
Ideal placement is where mosquitoes already gather: in moist shade where there isn’t a lot of wind. If all you have is full sun, put it near something (house, shed, trash can) that will cast shade at some point of the day.

What else should I know?
Stay vigilant about removing other areas with standing water.
A capful of water can support hundreds of new mosquitos.
If you have dogs or children, check resources like this one for ideas to help the dunk sink below the surface so it can’t be pulled out; covering the bucket for safety; or including a stick to allow an easy escape for other insects/critters that may fall in.

Want more information from the scholarly research on the use of BTi to dramatically reduce mosquito populations? Click here to see what the scientists say!