Health Tip: Keep Mosquitos Out of Your Yard

(HealthDay News) -- In addition to being a nuisance and a source of itch, mosquitos can carry a host of serious diseases, including Zika and West Nile.

So how do you rid them from your yard? The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests:

• Every week, empty and clean any outside containers that may hold water. These may include trash cans, bird baths or planters. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in water.

• If your outside container doesn't have a lid, cover with a wire mesh. Make sure the mesh is smaller than the size of an adult mosquito.

• If you have a large container that you can't empty, treat it with larvicide (but don't let any person or pet drink the water).

• Repair any cracks or holes in your septic tank, and cover any plumbing or vent pipes with fine wire mesh.

• Apply insecticide in your yard.