Mexican Garden with Mosquito Control

One of the things that we loved about our house in Mexico when we first looked at it was the back garden. Then, of course, it needed a lot of work. The previous owner had planted far too many plants in the garden and there were some decaying stumps that needed to be removed. Between the extra foliage and the decaying stumps the garden was a virtual paradise for ants, roaches, and mosquitos. The most odd feature in the garden was tucked in the far back corner.

There's a better view of it. For a better view of any of the pictures, just click the picture that you want to see. The sandy area gives the garden a great 'beachy' feel, but this feature in the back seemed odd.

Sometimes people who rent the house use the sandy area to set up a small volleyball net to play. Personally, I just find it really relaxing especially in the afternoon with a nice cold rum and whatever drink with friends.

This small pool of fresh water (notice the water line coming in to toilet type level control) is filled with guppies. My own little minnow pond as it were. But why? Aesthetics? I don't think so, it's really not the attractive to me.

Turns out, the little fresh water pool provides an excellent place for mosquitos to lay eggs and the guppies love a dinner of fresh mosquito larvae. It's a low tech version of a high tech solution to mosquito control. Here's an article Popular Science, Scientists Create Sperm-Free Mosquitoes to Prevent Malaria.

Reading other articles on the subject, scientist use radiation to sterilize male mosquitos and then release them into the wild. For me, it's much easier (and safer) to get my hands on a few guppies than it is to find a radiation source.

When I first moved in there were a few times the mosquitos were horrible, not just at night but all day. Getting the foliage reduced and making sure the guppies are healthy has helped with that problem. Now I can be out and fighting the mosquitos and come home and in my garden the mosquitos are not as bad. One little pool of guppies doesn't solve the entire mosquito problem, but it does help.