As warmer weather and spring rains bring mosquitoes back to Oklahoma, pollinator advocates are urging residents to avoid yard sprays that can harm bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects.
Many mosquito-control services use pyrethroid insecticides, synthetic chemicals related to compounds found in chrysanthemum flowers. Despite being marketed as “natural” or “green,” these sprays can kill a wide range of insects including butterflies, dragonflies and lightning bugs, according to the Oklahoma Monarch Society.
Advocates instead recommend controlling mosquitoes at the larval stage. One option is the Mosquito-Be-Gone Bucket, a DIY trap that uses Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (BTi), a naturally occurring bacterium that targets mosquito larvae without harming pollinators.
Residents can also reduce mosquitoes by eliminating standing water, using fans outdoors and applying repellents with picaridin or eucalyptus oil.
Oklahoma sits in the migratory path of monarch butterflies and is home to hundreds of native pollinator species.
Order Your Mosquito-Be-Gone Bucket Kit
Join us in protecting our pollinators. Purchase your pre-made Mosquito-Be-Gone Bucket kit today—available for pre-order—and add a “Mosquito Spraying Kills Pollinators” yard sign to help spread awareness.
Pickup events are scheduled at the following locations:
- OKC: March 29, 1pm – 4pm at Anthem Brewing Company, 908 SW 4th St, Oklahoma City, OK 73109
- Tulsa: April 12, 1pm – 4pm at Heirloom Rustic Ales, 2113 E Admiral Blvd, Tulsa, OK 74110
Proceeds support conservation efforts through the Oklahoma Monarch Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.