Bromeliads - Did You Know?
Popular in landscaping but MOSQUITOES LOVE THEM TOO!
Certain types (like the one pictured) hold water in each of the leaf pockets. This is the perfect place for a female mosquito to lay eggs - loads of water that is shaded from the sun.
The most common mosquitoes found in bromeliads in Palm Beach County are
Aedes aegypti and
Aedes albopictus and can transmit Dengue, Chikungunya, Yellow Fever, and Zika.
MOSQUITO-PROOF YOUR BROMELIADS!
Flush each leaf pocket with clean water every 3 to 4 days
OR
Treat each leaf pocket with granular
Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis found at most home improvement stores OR
Consider removing bromeliads and replacing with another tropical or native plant that does not hold water