Start with standing water
Mosquitoes lay eggs in still water, and they don't need much — a bottle cap's worth is enough for some species. Walk your yard once a week and dump or flip: plant saucers, buckets, toys, tarps, grill covers, and anything that holds rain. Clean gutters so water doesn't pool. If you have a birdbath, change the water every few days or add a small agitator.
Fix the hidden breeders
The ones people miss: bromeliads (hugely popular in Central Florida landscaping, and they hold water in every leaf cup — flush them weekly), French drains and catch basins that hold water underground, AC drip lines that puddle, and low spots in the lawn where rain sits for days. Tree holes can breed mosquitoes too — fill them with sand, not concrete (concrete cracks and holds water anyway).
Cut their daytime hiding spots
Adult mosquitoes rest in cool, shady, humid spots during the day: dense shrubs, tall grass, under decks, in ivy. Trim shrubs away from the house, mow regularly, and thin out overgrown beds near patios. You don't need a bare yard — just air flow and sunlight where you sit.
Time your yard time
Mosquitoes in Central Florida bite hardest at dawn and dusk. If you're grilling or sitting out, a fan on the patio genuinely helps — mosquitoes are weak fliers and avoid moving air. Long sleeves and an EPA-registered repellent (DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus) cover the rest.
When DIY isn't enough
If your yard backs up to a lake, canal, or retention pond — common around Ocoee, Windermere, and Dr. Phillips — mosquitoes will keep coming no matter how clean your yard is. That's where professional mosquito control earns its keep: treating resting areas and breeding spots on a schedule through the long Florida season.