Rainy Season Reminder: Protect Yourself from Mosquitos

Published on 18 December 2025

The recent rainfall, and pooling water around the region can provide perfect conditions for mosquitoes to breed. This can result in more mosquitoes, in turn increasing the potential for mosquito-borne diseases in our communities. Mosquitoes can carry viruses such as Ross River Fever virus, Barmah Forest virus and your dogs can contract heart worm.

What can you do?

Simple things like “Personal Protection” and reducing water lying around your house are key items that you can do to reduce the risk of you and your family getting bitten by mosquitoes:

Personal protection measures:

• Use insect repellent (in accordance with manufacturers’ instructions) especially when outside at dawn and dusk
• Wear long, loose, light coloured clothing
• Use flying insect spray or plug-in insecticide devices to kill mosquitoes indoors
• Repair defective insect screens or fit new screens or use bed nets

You can also help control mosquitoes around the home – here is a few tips:

• Pot plant bases: Preferably dispose of the base altogether.  Alternatively, empty and clean the base weekly or put sand in to absorb the water.
• Tins, tyres, jars, toys and rubbish items: any items left lying around the yard that hold water will breed mosquitoes. Store under cover and dispose of all unwanted items.
• Roof gutters: clean out leaves and other debris regularly. Cut back and trim trees. Blocked gutters will breed mosquitoes.
• Bromeliads and other water holding plants: other than removing the plants altogether use a hose to remove any mosquito larvae.
• Rainwater, wells, and drums: large water holding containers must be screened with wire gauze no coarser than 1mm mesh.
• Bird baths, fishponds and ornamental ponds: clean weekly to remove mosquito larvae. Keep Australian native fish in your ponds.
• Swimming pools: keep chlorinated and regularly operate the pool pump all year round.
• Drains or depressions: maintain drains to allow for water flow. Fill in any depressions to prevent water ponding.

Further information regarding how to assist in managing mosquito breeding this wet season can be obtained via the Queensland Health website www.health.qld.gov.au