Every three days, no exceptions.

To prevent mosquito breeding, empty bird baths and plant saucers every three days.

Mosquitoes don’t need much. A bottle cap of standing water is enough for them to lay eggs, and those eggs can hatch in as little as 48 hours in warm weather. From there, it takes about a week for larvae to turn into flying jerks. If you wait a full week, you’re basically running a nursery.

I used to do a weekly scrub-out and thought I was fine. Then I noticed tiny wrigglers in my bird bath on day six. Three days is the sweet spot. If it’s really hot, do it every two days. Don’t forget plant saucers and anything else that holds water — clogged gutters, kids’ toys, the lid of your trash can.

A quick rinse is enough. Dump the water, wipe the inside with a rag or scrub brush, refill. Takes thirty seconds.

Future You won’t be slapping mosquitoes at sunset.